Sale of knives to minors to be banned in SA, carrying them in TAFEs and unis outlawed as police get new powers

SA’s knife laws would be the “toughest” in the country under new reforms that give police new powers and severely limit who can buy and carry knives.

Carrying or using knives at TAFEs and unis would be banned, and their sale to minors outlawed under new reforms.

Police officers would also be given more powers to conduct metal detector searches at shopping centres, at bus and train stations and on public transport, at pubs and clubs and in larger mass gatherings – such as at the beach on a hot day.

If approved, the new laws would also expand school knife bans to childcare centres, preschools, kindergarten, or public spaces.

It would also be an offence to give minors a knife that could be knowingly used in an offence.

The government said it would fine-tune the legislation before introducing it to parliament this week to specify which knives would be exempt from the laws, such as plastic and butter knives for picnics, and circumstances where minors had a lawful reason to carry a knife, such as for tertiary or work needs.

The crackdown extends to retail premises, which would be required to securely lock up and tether knives for sale, and display signage stating they cannot be sold to minors.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan, Attorney-General Kyam Maher, Premier Peter Malinauskas and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens discuss the proposed new laws to tackle knife crime.

Senior police officers would be able to declare areas with mass gatherings a temporary public precinct, allowing officers to put the new powers into action, Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said.

“If you imagine a beachside precinct on a hot day when we see a significant surge of people into the precinct, we can declare that a location where we can use these new powers,” Mr Stevens said.

“It gives police one more tool to make sure that we’re identifying people who may be putting other people’s safety at risk.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas said the “comprehensive” knife crime reform would make SA the “national leader with the toughest knife laws in the country”.

“We have seen in the eastern states recently, the tragic rise of crime associated with the inappropriate use of knives. We want to prevent that from occurring here in South Australia,” Mr Malinauskas said.

Treasurer Stephen Mullighan, Attorney-General Kyam Maher, Premier Peter Malinauskas and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens discuss the proposed new laws to tackle knife crime.

“While it’s true that South Australia hasn’t experienced the spike in knife crime that we’ve seen in the eastern states, we have to remain vigilant and ahead of the game.”

Mr Malinauskas said police needed the extra powers, saying the government felt “very confident and at ease” with people being searched for knives in circumstances where there is “suspicion or a risk to the public”.

“This expansion of search powers for South Australian police to, in effect, wand people in publicly declared areas to be able to detect whether or not they are in possession of a knife, makes the task of police far easier to be able to keep everyone safe,” he said.

The reforms will be introduced to parliament this week.

The Opposition welcomed the reforms but questioned why Labor had taken so long, saying it had not supported their efforts to ban children from buying knives last year.

Caption: Premier Peter Malinauskas, Attorney General Kyam Maher, Treasurer of South Australia Stephen Mullighan and Police commissioner Grant Stevens discussing the proposed new laws to tackle knife crime, set to be introduced to parliament this week.

Police spokesman Jack Batty said South Australians deservedto “feel safe at the shops and in their homes” after a spate of incidents at Elizabeth Shopping Centre, Marion Shopping Centre, Arndale and Rundle Mall last year.

“There is no reason this law reform could not have progressed over the last three years. Every week that Labor has sat on its hands, we have witnessed, on average, 80 more knife crimes committed across South Australia,” he said.

The state government announced in November proposed penalties of up to four years in jail or a maximum $35,000 fine for anyone caught supplying knives to minors, as part of the reforms.

There were more than 4700 knife offences in SA in 2023, and interim data showed an increase last year of around 15 per cent on the same period a year prior.

On October 31, a street gang fight between six youths broke out in Rundle Mall, with one teenager allegedly wielding a machete.