Melbourne Knife Show going forward in Attwood ahead of impending machete ban
Organisers of a knife show set to be held in Melbourne’s northwest next month have not ruled out selling machetes, despite the Allan government’s looming ban on the dangerous weapons.
Victoria
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A knife show is due to be held in Melbourne’s northwest suburbs despite the state’s incoming machete ban.
Promotional material for the Melbourne Knife Show and video from last year’s event show large knives for sale at the event.
The president of the Australian Knifemakers Guild, which is organising the show, Kevin Room defended the event as being part of a “serious organisation”.
It is being held at Best Western Airport Motel and Convention Centre in Attwood on May 3 and 4.
Mr Room said the show is about the art of knifemaking and they have “very high entrance standards” for their members.
But while he said machetes were not something “typically” made by guild members, he did not rule out whether they would be displayed and sold at the show.
“If there were machetes there they would be very expensive, very bespoke, probably bordering more on art.”
Machetes are still able to be sold and displayed given they are not yet a banned weapon.
But a Victorian government spokeswoman said they could only be sold under specific circumstances and not to underage people.
The spokeswoman said all makers at the show were on notice that they must observe Victorian weapons laws.
“Our thoughts are with anyone who has lost a loved one to knife crime — we’ve listened to them and acted, with Australia’s first ever machete ban and powers for police to get more knives off the street,” she said.
“This is Australia’s first machete ban, and we agree with police that it must be done once and done right. It took the UK 18 months – we can do it in six. While it is being set up, machetes remain controlled weapons that can only be sold under specific circumstances and never to underage people.”
Possessing a machete without a lawful excuse carries a fine of more than $23,000 or one year imprisonment. Selling one to an underage person has a fine of nearly $4,000.
From September, anyone caught with a machete, without an exemption or Chief Commissioner approval, will face a penalty of up to $47,422 or up to 2 years in jail.
Mr Room said that knives sold at the show are expensive, and the “high end” products would not be something criminals are interested in.
“If you’re a criminal, you’re not going to go out and spend $1000 on a bespoke blade. It’s ridiculous. It is not the audience, and nor do we promote that.”
He said the show will comply with all laws and not sell to anyone underage. He continued that the event will have a police presence and security to ensure that no “troublemakers” attend.
A spokesperson for Victoria Police said they were aware of the “industry event”.
“We will engage with the organisers of the event with the view to ensure it is facilitated in a safe manner,” the spokesperson said.
In a comment on social media the guild was asked about Victoria “banning any decent knives”.
“That’s not the case,” the guild replied. “Machetes will become a prohibited weapon in Victoria after September this year but it doesn’t extend beyond that for now.”
Mr Room said the guild was seeking exemptions to the law for their full members so they still have “the ability to make things that are really useful tools”.
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick said the Allan government had bungled their machete ban which had led to confusion throughout the community.
“Victorians are rightly concerned about out-of-control knife crime in this state, but Labor’s rollout of their machete ban has been a complete mess,” he said.
“We absolutely need to be providing consequences for violent offenders using knives, but the government must get the basics right.
“Instead of clear laws and strong enforcement, we’ve seen more confusion and mixed messages – leaving industry and community groups uncertain about what’s allowed and what isn’t.
“The public want to feel safe, but they also want a government that can deliver law and order without unnecessary confusion. Labor is failing on both fronts.”
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Originally published as Melbourne Knife Show going forward in Attwood ahead of impending machete ban
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