- New powers to protect Western Australians from knife crime
- Starting Friday WA Police will be able to scan for hidden weapons
- Legislation inspired by Queensland's 'Jack's Law'
The Cook Government's tough new knife laws will come into effect on Friday, boosting community safety by providing Western Australian Police with additional powers to scan anyone for concealed weapons without a warrant.
The legislation inspired by 'Jack's Law' in Queensland aims to save lives and families from the devastating consequences of knife crime.
Seventeen-year-old Jack Beasley was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast in 2019. His parents Brett and Belinda have passionately advocated for and assisted in the development of this law in memory of their son.
Officers equipped with non-invasive scanning technology will hit the streets over the busy Christmas and New Year period to ensure community safety.
Like airport security, police will use hand-held metal detectors known as 'wands' to scan the outer layer of a person's clothing anywhere anytime.
Protected Entertainment Precincts (PEPs) will be permanent Knife Wanding Areas (KWAs) but Senior WA Police Officers, ranked Inspector or above, will have the ability to declare KWAs in any public place from train stations to music festivals.
Anyone caught with an edged weapon could face up to three years jail and a $36,000 fine.
The 'lawful excuse' safeguard will protect anyone who has a legitimate reason for carrying a knife from prosecution. Possession for self-defence is not considered a lawful excuse.
It is an offence to refuse to undergo a scan or produce an object when requested by police.
Failure to comply could result in up to a year behind bars and/or fine of up to $12,000.
In addition, Christmas Eve will mark two years since the PEP laws were introduced, increasing safety around entertainment precincts by keeping violent offenders away.
The PEP zones in Northbridge, Perth, Scarborough, Hillarys, Fremantle and Mandurah were developed after nightclub manager Giuseppe Raco was killed by a stranger in a one-punch attack in July 2020.
Since coming into effect, 211 violent and antisocial offenders have been barred from these areas for up to five years.
As stated by Police Minister Paul Papalia:
"The message is simple: if you carry a knife, WA Police will find it and arrest you.
"Knife crime devastates families, and I want to thank Brett and Belinda Beasley for driving change and helping to make Western Australia a safer place for everyone.
"No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child and this is just another tool to allow frontline officers to quickly identify offenders before they have a chance to cause harm.
"In addition, our Government has also increased the penalties for possession of prohibited weapons to ensure perpetrators are held to account."
