‘Really proud’: Parents of slain teen Jack Beasley speak at Walk 4 Jack event

Just days away from the fourth anniversary of their son’s death, the parents of slain Gold Coast teen Jack Beasley say they will continue their campaign for nationwide change.

Just days away from the fourth anniversary of their son’s death, the parents of slain Gold Coast teen Jack Beasley have vowed to keep fighting to get knives off streets nationwide.

Oxenford’s Damian Leeding Memorial Park was flooded with green shirts and running shoes at the annual Walk 4 Jack event on Sunday.

Run by the Jack Beasley Foundation – founded by the teen’s parents, Brett and Belinda Beasley – supporters walk 4km together to raise awareness around youth and knife crime.

The couple will this week mark four years since their son, then 17, was fatally stabbed during a fight with a group of teens in Surfers Paradise.

Brett and Belinda Beasley lead a large group of people, who joined the Jack Beasley Foundation annual walk to bring awareness to end youth violence in society along the Damian Leeding Memorial Park, Oxenford, Gold Coast, Sunday, December 10, 2023. Photo: Regi Varghese

The Beasleys have become tireless campaigners since their son’s death and their ­dedication was the driving force behind Jack’s Law, granting police the right to search anyone in safe night precincts and public transport with handheld metal detectors to check for knives. It was passed on what would have been Jack’s 21st birthday.

Prominent figures including Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, Opposition leader David ­Crisafulli, and Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll voiced their support for the Beasleys to the hundreds-strong crowd ahead of the walk.

Opposition leader David Crisafulli was one of several prominent figures supporting the Walk 4 Jack event. Photo: Regi Varghese

Mr Beasley said December was tough for their family – marking the anniversary of Jack’s death and another Christmas without their son – but they were “really proud” of their work so far.

He said talks with police and governing bodies in New South Wales about potentially expanding Jack’s Law were already under way, with about 700 weapons already confiscated in Queensland.

“That’s 700 lives saved, as far as we’re concerned,” Mr Beasley said.

“We’re not the only ones with the problem – other states and territories have the same problem, so we’d love to take Jack’s Law Australia-wide.”

Mrs Beasley said it was an emotional day but one that came with “amazing” support from their community.

“It’s in honour of Jack, which is lovely because he was such a good kid, and it’s for other knife crime victims too,” she said.

Two teenagers were sentenced to jail for Beasley’s death, with one launching a failed appeal bid earlier this year.