Random passengers, people in party precincts will be waved with metal detectors

Random people on Queensland buses and trains, and revellers in popular nightlife areas in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley and beyond, will be searched by police wielding metal detection wands under new laws.

But the government will tweak some elements after a review of an initial Gold Coast trial, hampered by the pandemic, raised racism concerns and questions about wider use of the powers.

The initial trial was launched as part of a suite of controversial changes to crack down on serious and repeat young offenders.Credit: Cameron Atfield

The 12-month trial was launched last May across the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach Safe Night Precincts to crack down on knife crime after the stabbing of 17-year-old Jack Beasley two years earlier.

As part of the trial, 197 weapons, including knives and machetes, were seized, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk told parliament.

Of about 16,800 people searched during the trial, almost 500 were charged.

“Police have found wanding such an effective tool that the trial of these powers will now be expanded for two years into all Queensland Safe Night Precincts and beyond … into public transport,” Palaszczuk said.

“That will include all trams, buses, trains and ferries, all public transport stations and associated infrastructure.”

With Jack’s parents, Brett and Belinda, in the public gallery of parliament, Palaszczuk said she agreed with Police Minister Mark Ryan that new laws to expand the trial should be called “Jack’s Law”.

Speaking later alongside Ryan, Beasley’s father said: “It just proves that these little wands, they save lives.”

The initial trial was launched as part of a suite of controversial changes to crack down on serious and repeat young offenders, and allowed police to bypass the reasonable suspicion usually needed to question people.

Both police officers and community stakeholders reported feelings of public safety had improved as a result of the trial.

Griffith University review of the trial

A review by members of Griffith University’s criminology institute – released on Wednesday – found that while knife detections increased in Surfers Paradise, there was no change in Broadbeach.

For this reason, the review said the wands’ continued use should be limited to areas where data showed a higher number of knife offences over a sustained period.

The trial period, and the effects of COVID on crime and crowds, also meant there was not enough time to consider longer-term outcomes, such as changes in offending or deterrent patterns.

The review found police data did not “reliably record” the ethnicity of those stopped – particularly any First Nations status – and “evidence of inappropriate use of stereotypes and cultural assumptions” by some officers.

Drug detections linked to the searches also jumped, sparking warnings about the bypassing of reasonable suspicion safeguards, and the potential to bring more minor offenders into the justice system.

Ryan told reporters he had “absolute faith and trust” in the police service to do the right thing with the “extraordinary powers”.

“But we’re going to have to have the appropriate checks and balances to make sure this law is not misused,” he said.

The laws, expected to be introduced to parliament in early 2023 with changes based on the Griffith report, will be reviewed again after two years.

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