Tasmania is one step closer to cracking down on knife crime, with tough new laws passing the House of Assembly tonight.
Dubbed Reid’s Law, the legislation gives police broader powers to carry out wand searches for concealed weapons, a move supporters say has already proven effective in Queensland.
“Every knife taken off the street is potentially a life saved,” said Police, Fire and Emergency Management Minister Felix Ellis.
“We’re not talking about taking knives off our tradies, we’re talking about stopping the idiots carrying flick knives and machetes for the purpose of causing fear and threatening community safety.”
The bill is named in honour of Reid Ludwig, whose family has pushed for stronger knife laws since his tragic death at the hands of an armed teenager.
“It’s really important for our family and the wider community to have that extra feeling of safety,” his mother Laraine Ludwig said.
“It’s just one tiny initiative for the children to see that their father’s life meant something.”
The legislation takes inspiration from Queensland’s ‘Jack’s Law’, named after stabbing victim Jack Beasley.
“These laws are needed nationally and I’m so glad Tasmania are taking them on,” said his mother Belinda, who travelled to Tasmania to support the bill’s introduction.
“They’re there to make the community safer. They’re non-invasive. They don’t hurt anyone.”
During a trial run, Tasmania Police carried out 200 wand searches and found a knife or dangerous weapon in one out of every four.
This statistic, Minister Ellis said, should “give the community pause for thought”.
“It’s been an extraordinary tragedy that has led to this point,” Ellis said.
“We have an opportunity as members of Parliament to do something really meaningful about that.”
The legislation now heads to the Legislative Council for final approval.
