Everything you need to know about Victoria’s machete ban following a wild brawl at Northland Shopping Centre

What you need to know about the ban on machetes after a wild gang brawl at Northland Shopping Centre on Sunday.

The Allan government has announced changes to its nation-first machete ban after terrified shoppers ran from machete wielding teenagers at Northland on Sunday. Here’s what’s happening.

Why is the Victorian government banning machetes?

After more than a year of calls to ban the weapon and amid mounting pressure to respond to the state’s youth crime crisis, the Allan government pushed legislation through parliament in March to ban the weapons.

It came amid a spate of knife attacks - including multiple murders - and aggravated home invasions, many of which were highlighted in the Herald Sun’s Suburbs Under Siege campaign.

Last year, a record number of machetes and dangerous knives - almost 15,000 - were seized by Victoria Police.

When will the total statewide ban come into effect?

Machetes will be banned statewide from September 1.

When will the sale of machetes be banned?

The Victorian government announced on Monday that an interim total ban on the sale of machetes would be introduced at 12pm on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.

It will last until September 1 when it is superseded by legislation to ban the weapons outright.

What are the consequences for retailers found selling machetes after this time?

A supplier who fails to comply with the ban could be found guilty of a criminal offence.

There will be a three-month amnesty to allow for the punishment-free disposal of prohibited weapons.

Can those who will be entitled to possess a machete with an exemption when the total ban comes into effect still buy one?

Under Commonwealth consumer laws, an interim ban on the sale of a particular product means that it cannot be sold for any reason.

The government has acknowledged that this will mean those who will be exempt, such as some farmers, will not be able to buy machetes between May 28 and September 1.

Who will be able to sell machetes from September 1?

Machetes will be able to be sold at stores which secure an exemption.

Retailers who are granted an exemption will be listed on a Victoria Police register.

What will the penalties be if you get caught carrying a machete?

Those caught with a machete, who do not have an exemption, will face jail terms or fines of more than $47,000.

Will Victorians be given an opportunity to hand in machetes?

A three-month amnesty will run from September 1 to November 30 to allow for the punishment-free disposal of prohibited weapons.

Machete holders will be able to dispose of the weapons in secure bins at a range of outdoor locations, including at police stations.

The first-of-its-kind ban follows chaotic scenes at Northland Shopping Centre on Sunday. Picture: Josie Hayden

Who will be able to get an exemption to carry a machete after September 1?

Victorians who can prove they use a machete for legal activities, including hunting and agriculture, will be able to apply for an exemption.

Are machetes banned anywhere else in Australia?

No, Victoria will be the first state to implement a statewide machete ban.

What did Premier Jacinta Allan say about the immediate ban on the sale of machetes?

“We have not hesitated to utilise the powers that we have ... to move as quickly as we can to ban the sale of machetes,” she said.

“In Victoria, community safety comes first. We must never let places we meet become places we fear.”

“I hate these knives, and I will keep introducing as many laws as it takes to get them off our streets, out of our shops and out of our lives.”

Originally published as Everything you need to know about Victoria’s machete ban following a wild brawl at Northland Shopping Centre