Brett Beasley speaks out after Jack’s Law anti-knife crime push succeeds in NSW

The still-shattered dad of Jack Beasley, fatally stabbed on a night out at Surfers Paradise, says he just wants every Aussie to be safe from “some mongrel walking around with a knife”. It comes after Jack’s Law was passed in NSW.

The still-shattered father of Jack Beasley, fatally stabbed on a night out on the Gold Coast in 2019, says his “heart breaks all over again” when he hears there has been yet another knife attack.

From the horror of the Bondi Westfield massacre and the chaos of the Wakeley church stabbings, to the senseless stabbing of Kye Schaefer, 21, at a Coffs Coast beach, knives – and the shocking acts committed with them – are front of mind for New South Wales. And they appear to have the entire state on tenterhooks.

Every senseless stabbing is a trigger for Brett Beasley and wife Belinda, who have been tirelessly campaigning for change.

Brett and Belinda Beasley, who lost their son when he was fatally stabbed during a night out in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast in 2019. Picture: Jerad Williams

In what Mr Beasley has described as an “ecstatic” victory, a law established in his son’s memory to prevent knife crime in Queensland has extended to NSW.

On Thursday, Jack’s Law was passed by the Minns Government, allowing police to implement ‘wanding’ to detect knives without a warrant in designated public spaces.

The government issued a statement calling Jack’s Law “common sense reforms”.

Mr Minns said new police powers would be available when a relevant offence/knife crime has occurred in the past six months. Wanding can take place in a 12-hour window.

It will be made illegal to sell knives to a child, with exceptions for those under 18 who use knives for work. Penalties will rise for people selling knives to kids.

Last year almost 4000 knives were seized in public places across NSW.

Jack Beasley (right) with dad Brett. Brett says his heart breaks every time he hears of another knife attack. Picture: Facebook

In Queensland, police seized more than 500 weapons during 4100 wandings in the first year of Jack’s Law in Safe Night Precincts and transport hubs. 1369 people were arrested on 2469 charges.

Mr Minns said recently “we have all borne witness to the devastating outcomes of knife related violence”.

He said communities were “still in mourning”, but action was “essential” and the state “will simply not accept these kinds of crimes”.

Friends of Jack Beasley gather to pay their respects at the scene of the tragedy outside the Surfers Paradise IGA. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Police and Counter-terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley said reform would “send a strong signal that we are committed to tackling violent knife crime”.

The Opposition said changes were not sufficient and Shadow Attorney-General Alister Henskens criticised a bill which may be “largely unworkable”.

Shadow Police Minister Paul Toole added “The laws put forward do simply not do enough”.

Mr Beasley, meanwhile, has called the change a “part of history” and said the fight is not over.

The Beasleys plan to see Jack’s Law in all Australian states and territories – with Victoria next.

Brett and Belinda Beasley pictured at Queensland Parliament, Thursday 30th March 2023. Picture David Clark

“Every single police force in the country should have these powers,” Mr Beasley said.

He said the Westfield massacre was “the straw that broke the camel’s back” and prompted the family to propose the changes to the NSW government.

“It’s sickening every time we see a report on a knife-related incident. It’s incredibly emotional,” he said.

“Sorry, I’m choking up. It just breaks my heart and Belinda’s heart to see yet another stabbing attack.

“All we want is what every other family in Australia wants – for our loved ones to be safe without some mongrel walking around with a knife.

“When we lost our son, we started a mission to change the law and change it for the better.

“Belinda and I just want people to know how devastating the repercussions and snowball effects are with knives.

“Our son was stabbed in the heart. There’s no turning back from that.

“We know Jack’s Law may not be the entire solution, but it’s a no-brainer and a significant step forward.”

The Minns Government hopes wanding will deter knife crime in public places. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

However, NSW Bar Association president Dr Ruth Higgins SC said the wanding would “undermine fundamental rights” and the public should not face “arbitrary police interference”.

“The proposed safeguards to be applied to these powers are at best inadequate and at worst illusory,” she said.

Dr Higgins said wanding was “invasive” and shared concerns with the Aboriginal Legal Service that “First Nations people and young people may be subjected to a disproportionate number of searches.”

Mr Beasley said the push-back was “rubbish”.

“There’s no discrimination at all. It’s no different to pulling a person over for a random breath test. At major concerts and airports you get scanned for weapons,” he said.

“It’s obvious to me that anyone disagreeing with the changes has not lost a loved one to knife violence.”

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