Latest news with #AnthonyCarbines
7NEWS
a day ago
- Politics
- 7NEWS
Parents urged to use bins to dispose of their children's blades and machetes
Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian -first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already-operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. 'We want to get those machetes and knives off these children,' he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. 'These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children.' An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. 'Our police are really smart — they'll know and test that kind of statement,' Curran said. 'The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway.' A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme led to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Premier Jacinta Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. 'Machetes destroy lives,' she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action.
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Sky News AU
Dozens of police stations amongst 45 drop-off points in Victoria to dispose of soon-to-be illegal machetes amid spike in knife crime
Dozens of police stations in Victoria will become drop-off points for machete-wielding owners as the state becomes the first to implement a ban on the weapons. Locations of the drop-off points have been revealed ahead of a three-month amnesty to dispose of the soon-to-be illegal weapons, which from September 1 will be criminalised in Victoria, resulting in jail terms or fines of up to $47,00. The Herald Sun has revealed 45 locations across metropolitan and rural Victoria where the broad, heavy knives may fill-up the heavy-duty metal bins outside police stations in prominent crime spots. Some of the locations include Prahran, Footscray, Dandenong, the city of Casey and the City of Geelong which have been riddled with home invasions and knife crime. Preston Police station will also form a drop-off point for the weapons after the suburb saw a violent knife crime incident following a violent brawl out at a shopping centre in May. Northland Shopping Centre in Preston was plunged into lockdown on May 25, when a machete-wielding fight broke out between rival gangs, forcing terrified shoppers to hide in stores. The same day in South Melbourne, a woman was shot dead by police after officers responded to reports of a man brandishing a machete on Cecil Street. This year police have seized a record number of illegal weapons from the streets of Victoria with an average of at least 44 knives confiscated each day. Police have previously said the number of knives seized this year is expected to exceed 2024 figures of a total of 14,805. The Allan government's landmark ban on the weapons apply to to all "cutting-edge knifes with a blade of more than 20cm". The three-month amnesty is expected to run from September 1 to November 30, meaning people who own machetes can surrender their knives without facing a penalty or committing an offence. Ms Allan previously said the ban has been introduced to "choke the supply of these dangerous items as much as possible" before the permanent outlaw of machete possession comes into effect. The Premier along with Minister for Police Anthony Carbines visited the Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday to reveal a machete safe disposal bin for the first time and re-iterate the ban. "These knives destroy lives - so we're taking them off the streets," she said. "Victorians have zero tolerance for knife crime and so do we - we're enacting this ban and boosting Victoria Police's powers because community safety always comes first."
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Campaign to bin blades in three-month machete amnesty
Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian-first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. "We want to get those machetes and knives off these children," he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. "These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children." An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. "Our police are really smart - they'll know and test that kind of statement," Mr Curran said. "The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway." A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme lead to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Mr Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Ms Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. "Machetes destroy lives," she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action. Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian-first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. "We want to get those machetes and knives off these children," he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. "These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children." An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. "Our police are really smart - they'll know and test that kind of statement," Mr Curran said. "The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway." A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme lead to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Mr Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Ms Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. "Machetes destroy lives," she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action. Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian-first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. "We want to get those machetes and knives off these children," he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. "These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children." An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. "Our police are really smart - they'll know and test that kind of statement," Mr Curran said. "The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway." A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme lead to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Mr Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Ms Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. "Machetes destroy lives," she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action. Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian-first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. "We want to get those machetes and knives off these children," he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. "These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children." An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. "Our police are really smart - they'll know and test that kind of statement," Mr Curran said. "The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway." A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme lead to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Mr Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Ms Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. "Machetes destroy lives," she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action.
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Campaign to bin blades in three-month machete amnesty
Parents have been urged to hand in their children's machetes and knives at amnesty bins as part of an Australian-first ban. A total of 45 police stations across Victoria will have the machete disposal bins set up for a three-month amnesty from September 1. Carrying one of the deadly long and broad-bladed knives will be outlawed from that date, adding to an already operating sales ban with some exemptions. Flanked by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines, Assistant Commissioner Brett Curran said children made up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state. "We want to get those machetes and knives off these children," he told reporters at Melbourne West Police Station on Thursday. "These bins provide an opportunity for families who might be concerned about the things their kids have to get those machetes, knives ... out of the reach of their children." An average of 44 machetes, knives and blades are taken off Victorian streets each day. Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police to date in 2025. Melbourne will host most of the disposal bins across the city at 24-hour police stations with CCTV. They will also be placed at stations in Ballarat, Bendigo, Echuca, Geelong, Horsham, Mildura, Morwell, Sale, Shepparton, Swan Hill, Wangaratta, Warragul, Warrnambool, Wodonga and Wonthaggi. Police won't be easily fooled by knife-carrying offenders stopped in the street who falsely claim they're heading to an amnesty bin. "Our police are really smart - they'll know and test that kind of statement," Mr Curran said. "The outcome of that will be that we've got the knife anyway." A national gun buyback was instituted by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The 12-month scheme lead to the surrender and destruction of more than 650,000 firearms. Mr Curren said no incentive was needed to encourage Victorians to forfeit blades, pointing to people caught after the ban facing up to two years in jail or a fine of more than $47,000. Ms Allan said a public awareness campaign begins this week to spread word of the amnesty. "Machetes destroy lives," she said. Saurabh Anand became the latest high-profile victim of an alleged machete attack in Victoria on July 19. The 33-year-old was allegedly attacked by a group of teens and had his phone stolen as he walked home from an Altona Meadows pharmacy. His left hand required surgery after it was almost severed, with four teens aged 14 to 15 charged. A fight between machete-wielding rival gang members at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre in May also sent shoppers running for their lives. In response, the state government fast-tracked its machete sales ban. A compliance task force has since conducted 545 inspections online and in stores, on top of inspecting about 2400 market stalls in weekend operations. Another nine unannounced inspections have been carried out on stores across the Altona region since the alleged attack in the area. In total, five fines have been issued and the Consumer Affairs Victoria task force is weighing further action.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Toughest' bail laws in land to target repeat offenders
Bailed crooks who commit serious crimes will find it "almost impossible" to keep their freedom under new laws. The Victorian government will introduce its second package of bail reforms to parliament on Tuesday, amid rising crime rates. These changes include a new bail test for people accused of repeat, serious offending and a "second strike" rule for those charged with further offending. "We are making it very clear to bail decision-makers across the system that in Victoria community safety comes first," Premier Jacinta Allan told reporters. "Victorians remain not just concerned but disgusted with what we are seeing with repeat offending." Attorney-General Sonya Kilkenny described the bail test, for people accused of one of six offences while on bail, as the "toughest" in the nation. The offences covered are aggravated home invasion, aggravated carjacking, armed robbery, aggravated burglary, home invasion and carjacking. Bail must be refused unless the decision maker is satisfied there is a "high degree of probability" the person won't reoffend. Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the test went further than NSW laws as it was not time limited and didn't just apply to young people. "Your chances of getting bail are almost impossible," he said. The "second strike" rule will also make it harder people to get bail if accused of repeat indictable offending such as burglary, theft, assault, robbery, sex offences and serious drug offences. Ms Kilkenny said low-level drug possession, petty theft and crimes driven by poverty and homelessness would be carved out to mitigate disproportionate impact on vulnerable people. But she made it clear those offenders would still face a bail hearing. The legislation's default start date is March 30, 2026 but the attorney expects the laws to come into effect "as soon as system capacity permits and it's safe to do so". Victoria tightened bail laws in 2018 after James Gargasoulas drove into Melbourne's busy Bourke Street Mall in 2017 while on bail, killing six people and injuring dozens more. A coronial inquest into the death of Indigenous woman Veronica Nelson in 2020 found the changes were a "complete and unmitigated disaster", sparking a relaxation of laws in 2024. Ms Allan conceded the government "got it wrong" and vowed a crackdown on repeat serious offenders. Its first law changes removed the principle of remand as a last resort for children, made community safety an overarching principle for bail decisions and reintroduced bail offences. Victoria's latest crime statistics, which showed youth offending at a record high, were collected before the harsher bail laws were rolled out. But figures released by the justice department in mid June showed the number of youths being held on remand had doubled since the changes took effect in late March.
