Police can now search for knives in shopping centres, licensed premises

Legislation to extend the powers of police officers to randomly stop and search people have been passed through Queensland Parliament this week during the penultimate sitting before the state election on October 26.

The legislation called Jack’s Law allows police to “wand” (search with handheld metal detectors) people in safe night precincts, public transport stations and on public transport without a warrant.

Legislation will now allow police to conduct warrantless searches of people in shopping centres, sporting clubs and retail settings. Credit: Cloe Read

The scope of those powers will now be extended to people in shopping centres, high-risk retail premises such as convenience stores, sporting and entertainment venues, licensed venues and on train lines.

Premier Steven Miles said the extension is designed to capture public places characterised by high pedestrian density.

“Since becoming Premier I’ve been very clear that community safety is a key priority,” Miles said in a statement on Thursday.

“We know Jack’s Law has been effective and it makes sense to me that we expand its scope to more public places to further enhance community safety by reducing the risk of knife crime.”

Jack’s Law was first introduced in April 2023 in response to the fatal stabbing of 17-year-old Jack Beasley outside a convenience store in Surfers Paradise in 2019.

In the year since it was introduced, more than 500 weapons have been confiscated as a result of over 5000 wanding operations in Safe Night Precincts and public transport hubs.

Beasley’s parents, Brett and Belinda, called the laws life-saving and praised the expansion of police powers to stop and search.

“[It’s] another step towards getting dangerous weapons off our streets,” Brett said.

The state government faced pressure to extend the places where police could wand after the fatal stabbing of Ipswich grandmother Vyleen White in February 2024, and the stabbing attack at Bondi Junction in April.

The Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA) welcomed the extension of Jack’s Law to address the rising trend of incidents in shopping centres and retail premises involving dangerous weapons.

“Knife crime is a major concern for our industry,” SCCA chief executive Angus Nardi said. “We strongly support measures that help improve community safety.”

Changes have not been met with positivity by all.

The Queensland Council for Civil Liberties (QCCL) opposed Jack’s Law in the first instance out of fears it would be extended beyond Safe Night Precincts, and have previously called for a review into how the police powers have been used.

“First it was extended to public transport. Now to shopping centres, licensed premises, sporting and entertainment venues and ‘high-risk retail outlets’, vindicating our concerns,” QCCL president Michael Cope said in a statement.

Cope highlighted a Griffith University study that found no evidence that search laws had reduced offending, despite the number of weapons seized.

Concerns have also been raised over the perception that wanding could be based on police profiling.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Massingham told 4BC Breakfast searches would not be “completely random” and would rely on police intelligence.

“We must have some intelligence that knife crime is a problem in a particular area,” he said.

Places where Jack’s Law now applies:

• Designated Safe Night Precincts 
• Public transport hubs 
• Licensed premises 
• Sporting and entertainment venues 
• “High-risk” retail outlets (e.g. shops open late at night)