Victoria adopts Jack's Law for knife searches without warrant
Victoria will introduce Jack's Law by early 2027, allowing police to search for knives in public without a warrant.
Victoria's Labor government has reversed its opposition to Jack's Law. Premier Ben Carroll pledged to introduce knife-search powers if re-elected in November.
The law lets police use handheld metal detectors to search people for weapons anywhere in public. No warrant is needed.
No designated area is required. The government will supply an extra 1,200 metal detectors across the state.
Queensland introduced the law after teenager Jack Beasley was stabbed on the Gold Coast in 2019. NSW passed similar laws in 2024.
Queensland data shows police seized 1,439 weapons from scanning 198,469 people since July 2025. But experts found no evidence the law reduces violent crime.
They warned of risks of racial profiling. Victoria previously relied on police designating specific areas for temporary weapon searches.
That system faced a Federal Court challenge.
- 1,200 across Victoria
- Metal detectors supplied
- Early 2027
- Implementation timeline
Why it mattersThe law gives police unprecedented stop-and-search powers; Victoria must decide if the weapons seized justify the civil liberties trade-off.
AustraliaVictorian police will gain new search powers ahead of the 2026 state election, changing how public safety is policed in Australia's second-largest state.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 9 d ago
