Police seek public feedback on tougher knife laws

Despite earlier describing the success of tougher knife laws in the state police are now called for public feedback on these changes. Why police are looking for input.

Laraine Ludwig in the Elizabeth Street Mall in Hobart on Monday, January 20, 2025.

Increased penalties for carrying weapons and stronger police search powers will improve public safety, police said on Monday as the government called for public feedback on tougher knife laws.

Laraine Ludwig has been campaigning for changes to the law since the death of her son Reid in a stabbing at Blackmans Bay in 2019.

“We’ve said all the way along it is kind of a no-brainer but I’m so grateful that we’ve made it to this stage and the amount of public support I’ve personally received by email and text has actually surprised me,” she said.

Acting Inspector Danny Jackson, Laraine Ludwig and Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Felix Ellis in the Elizabeth Street Mall in Hobart on Monday, January 20, 2025.

“I think if we could, as a community, support this type of initiative and perhaps some other ones that may make positive change for the future, then hopefully the community will be much safer.”

Ms Ludwig said she supported Coles’ ban on the sale of knives in its supermarkets as a positive move towards community safety.

“How do you quantify prevention? It’s almost impossible to quantify what lives have been saved, what danger has been prevented,” she said.

Tasmania Police acting inspector Danny Jackson said police had seized multiple knives as a result of a trial of portable metal-detecting wands.

“Tasmania Police have extended our wand trial now through to the 2nd of April, it has become a statewide wand trial,” he said.

“We now have wands deployed in the northern, western and southern districts in all our major cities.

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Felix Ellis Felix Ellis with Sergeant Tim Etheridge in Elizabeth Street Mall on Monday, January 20, 2025.

“While this trial will continue to engage with people on foot in our public spaces, officers will be carrying them during their normal duties and conducting the searches statewide so it’s a move to ensure the safety of our people as well as the community.”

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Felix Ellis said he was keen to hear public feedback on the government’s proposal.

“Today we can announce that consultation is open for Reid’s law, which is a law that will aim to address knife crime in our community,” he said.

“It’s so important that we protect the public from people who make the stupid decision to carry knives and other dangerous weapons in a public place.

“It will ensure that Tasmania Police have the powers that they need to search on reasonable suspicion so that they can help get knives off our streets and ensure that offenders are held to account.

“And it will facilitate an expansion of the use of metal detection wands by Tasmania Police so that they have the technology that they need, as well as the powers to support it.”