Qld election 2024: Jack’s Law to be made permanent by LNP, if elected
Queensland’s nation-leading wanding laws will be made permanent by an LNP government, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has confirmed.
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Nation-leading laws allowing Queensland police to frisk suspicious characters for knives will be made permanent by an LNP government, Opposition Leader David Crisafulli has confirmed.
The state’s “wanding” laws - known as Jack’s Law - technically expires in October 2026 after being expanded as part of the Labor government’s community safety laws earlier this year.
Mr Crisafulli, flanked by advocates and victims of crime on Wednesday, pledged to make Jack’s Law permanent if his party is elected on October 26.
The LNP, in the final days of the election campaign, sought to turn the spotlight back on youth crime with Mr Crisafulli securing endorsements from a dozen victims and advocates including Victor White - whose wife Vyleen was killed in an alleged stabbing in Ipswich.
Mr Crisafulli also travelled to the Gold Coast to tour a school for disengaged youth, before meeting with Brett and Belinda Beasley in Arundel—within the electorate of Bonney—to tell them of the permanency of Jack’s Law should the LNP win government.
Jack’s Law was a result of advocacy by Brett and Belinda whose 17-year-old son Jack was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast in 2019.
The pair have since become staunch advocates in pursuit of reducing knife-related violence, with a goal of pushing Jack’s Law into other jurisdictions.
Jack’s Law was expanded after the alleged stabbing of Ms White at an Ipswich shopping centre in February 2024.
“What Brett and Belinda have gone through, and the case for change that they have put forward through the through the tragedy of losing their beautiful boy, has been something that has inspired us,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Those laws are working. It’s detected over 1000 weapons since it came in. Jack’s Law will become permanent in law to protect young people from knives, from weapons, and Queensland knows that is important.”
Premier Steven Miles said the government was “proud of this law”, slammed the Opposition’s announcement as “bizarre”, but also did not explicitly say he would make the laws permanent.
“It’s frankly a bit bizarre, that they are on the second or third last day of their campaign, announcing they will keep a law that we introduced,” he said.
Under existing legislation Jack’s Law will sunset in October 2026—up from April 2025 after being expanded to shopping centres.
The sunset clause is to allow for an independent party to review Jack’s Law and determine if the framework is working or if other options should be explored.
Mr Beasley said he would welcome political parties of any colour making Jack’s Law permanent.
“This is all about our son Jack, and it’s all about saving lives,” he said.
Originally published as Qld election 2024: Jack’s Law to be made permanent by LNP, if elected
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