Jack’s Law knife-wanding powers made permanent across Queensland

Police can now wand the public for knives and other weapons on a whim statewide after the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old in Surfers Paradise sparked sweeping law change.

Police can now wand the public for knives and other weapons on a whim statewide after the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old in Surfers Paradise sparked sweeping law change.

The police wanding trial – sparked by the campaigning parents of slain Gold Coaster Jack Beasley – has seen more than a thousand knives and other weapons removed from Queensland streets.

Dubbed Jack’s Law – after his stabbing outside an IGA supermarket on a Friday night in 2019 – it has now officially been made permanent statewide.

Police wanding in Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast.

To mark the historic moment on Friday night, Police Minister Dan Purdie joined Jack’s parents Belinda and Brett in Burleigh where residents and small business operators have been complaining of rising anti-social behaviour for the past year.

The new law allows police to use handheld metal detectors to identify and seize weapons from people in all public places across the state.

Mr Purdie said police could now use these scanners across the state, not just in Safe Night Precincts such as Surfers and Broadbeach and other previously prescribed places.

Police Minister Dan Purdie in Burleigh Heads.

“This is the first time Jack’s Law has not only been made permanent, but has expanded to everywhere,” he said.

“For the first time right across the state (police) now have the power to conduct wanding operations, to deter and detect people who are carrying knives.”

The Minister said this was about giving police the tools they needed to detect and deter knife crime, and prevent more families from living through the heartbreak the Beasleys had endured.

Since Jack was fatally stabbed on Surfers Paradise Boulevard in the early evening in front of shocked restaurant diners, his parents Brett and Belinda have campaigned tirelessly to make Queensland safer.

Brett and Belinda Beasley joined Police Minister Dan Purdie in Burleigh Heads.

“We made a promise to Jack that we’d make sure something good came from this tragedy, and now, thanks to this law, lives will be saved,” Mr Beasley said.

“We’ll never know whose life is saved because someone was caught with a knife before they could use it, but that’s the power of this law. It works.”

In its trial phase Jack’s Law resulted in more than 3200 arrests and more than 5900 charges laid.

Mrs Beasley said every family deserved to feel safe.

“Jack’s Law is for every young person and every family who deserves to feel safe,” Mrs Beasley said.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the police, and to the Crisafulli Government that has listened and acted.”

Originally published as Jack’s Law knife-wanding powers made permanent across Queensland