Peter Dutton vows national knife crime crackdown

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has vowed to take Queensland’s landmark knife laws national if he wins the looming federal election.

Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has vowed to take Queensland’s landmark knife laws national if he wins the looming federal election.

The Opposition leader made the pledge after he and wife Kirilly met with the parents of slain Gold Coast teen Jack Beasley on the Glitter Strip on Thursday.

The parents of slain teenager Jack Beasley, Brett (left) and Belinda Beasley (second from right), meet with Peter Dutton and his wife Kirilly.

Jack, 17, was stabbed to death outside a Surfers Paradise convenience store in December 2019.

His parents, Brett and Belinda, formed the Jack Beasley Foundation to lobby for tougher knife laws. Their advocacy led to the establishment of “Jack’s Law”, giving Queensland Police the power to use metal detectors to scan people for knives in the state’s Safe Night Precincts and on public transport.

Almost 1000 weapons have been taken off the streets since the program began and police have now been given the power to “wand” people in shopping centres, high-risk retail outlets such as convenience stores, licensed premises and sporting and entertainment venues.

The Miles government moved to expand the scheme following the fatal stabbing of grandmother Vyleen White at an Ipswich shopping centre in February.

Jack Beasley (right) with dad Brett. Picture: Facebook

The law has also been adopted by NSW following April’s Bondi Junction stabbing massacre in which six people died.

Speaking after meeting the Beasleys at the Arundel Tavern where the Jack Beasley Foundation was established, Mr Dutton said expanding Jack’s Law nationally would be one of his first acts if he wins the keys to the Lodge.

He said the Coalition would introduce a Bill to give the Australian Federal Police the power to scan visitors to Commonwealth sites.

The parents of slain teenager Jack Beasley, Brett and Belinda Beasley, meet with Peter Dutton and his wife Kirilly.

Mr Dutton said a Coalition government would also use national cabinet or the Standing Council of Attorneys-General to encourage the states and territories to follow Queensland’s lead and adopt the law which had “saved lives”.

“We’re going to do everything we can to roll this out nationally,” he said.

“If we’re elected at the next election, this will be one of the first Bills that’s introduced into the federal parliament to allow for Jack’s Law to be applicable to Commonwealth places.

“We believe very strongly as a party that these knives have no place whatsoever in the hands or in the backpacks of young kids who are roaming the streets at 8’clock at night, in Jack’s circumstance, or 2 o’clock in the morning,” he said.

“There’s no good that comes from it. Some kids might think they’re doing the right thing trying to take a knife to protect themselves or defend themselves but it turns into tragedy, and lives are destroyed as a result.”

Mr Beasley said he had heard “zero” from the Albanese government, which was “a bit sad to be honest”.

He said expanding the law nationally was “obviously a no-brainer”.