Jack Beasley’s family vow to keep fighting to make Jack’s Law nationwide
How the parents of fatally stabbed Jack Beasley marked his 21st - and their brave new nationwide move.
Police & Courts
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The parents of slain teen Jack Beasley are not content with the huge steps taken to get knives off Queensland streets – now they want to take their initiative countrywide.
After years of fighting by the Beasleys, “Jack’s Law” was signed by Queensland Governor Jeannette Young on Sunday.
The law allows police the right to search anyone in safe night precincts and on public transport with handheld metal detectors to determine if they are carrying a knife.
Ms Young signed the law on what would have been Jack’s 21st birthday.
Jack was just 17 when he was fatally stabbed in the chest during a fight with a group of teens outside the Surfers Paradise IGA on December 13, 2019.
Two teens are currently serving prison time over Jack’s death.
Since their son’s death Brett and Belinda Beasley have become tireless campaigners in an effort to reduce knife crime under the banner of the Jack Beasley Foundation.
“It’s not only our family but it’s Queensland who has won,” Mr Beasley said.
“If you are carrying a weapon in a safe night precinct then you will be searched and you will be arrested.
“The ones that are carrying weapons are the only ones that are against it.”
The Beasleys’ dedication has led to the game-changing Jack’s Law as well as a comprehensive education program aimed at getting teens to ditch carrying knives.
“We are fighting to take this Australia-wide,” Mr Beasley said.
“We believe that with this law, every single police officer in the country needs to have the same powers as the QPS has.
“We are coming Australia-wide – Jack’s Law will hopefully become Australia-wide.”
The road to the laws has not been easy for the Beasley family as they juggled their work with attending the numerous court dates for those charged with Jack’s death.
“We’ve been fighting and fighting,” he said.
“A lot of people don’t realise what we have done behind the scenes – we have made countless phone calls and emails.”
A trial of the law began in the Surfers Paradise Safe Night Precinct in May 2021 – more than a year after Jack’s death.
Between the start of the trial and November last year 241 weapons were taken off the streets and 647 people were charged with various offences.
Among those weapons were axes, Stanley knives, cleavers and hunting knives.
“Those amount of weapons in an 18-month period – can you imagine what the QPS are going to be finding now?,” Mr Beasley said.
He said a lot of teens who were armed were using public transport to travel to places like Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.
Mr Beasley said the prospect of a search meant teens were less likely to be carrying a knife on trains and trams.
On Sunday night, to mark both Jack’s birthday and the passing of the laws, the Beasley’s gathered with extended family at their Parkwood home and raised a glass to the young jokester.
Mr Beasley said it was also help from police such as Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Wheeler and Superintendent Rhys Wildman and all MPs both in the Palaszczuk Government and the LNP which helped the laws come into place.
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