A Tasmanian mother whose son was stabbed to death in a random knife attack four years ago is lobbying the state government to introduce tougher knife laws.
Reid Ludwig, 41, was killed outside a service station in Blackmans Bay by a teenager in 2019.
His mother, Laraine Ludwig, says her son’s death was “shocking and senseless”.
“Our family is living with this life sentence and it’s imperative to make positive changes to protect the community,” she said.
“I have made it my mission to try to ensure no other family has to go through what we have been through, losing someone to a knife attack.”
Ludwig is pushing for the introduction of ‘Reid’s Law’, which would allow police to perform non-invasive scans to detect knives and other concealed weapons without reasonable suspicion.
She says the law has been successful in Queensland, where it was introduced in early 2023 following the death of 16-year-old Jack Beasley.
In the first year of Jack’s Law, police seized more than 500 weapons.
Following Queensland’s lead, Western Australia last week introduced the toughest knife laws in the country.
Under the new rules, police can use walk-through or hand-held metal detectors to scan for dangerous weapons “anytime, anywhere” without reasonable suspicion.
“I want to see similar laws introduced in Tasmania as a priority,” Ludwig said.
Refusal to participate in a scan or produce an object if directed is an offence punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $12,000.
Ludwig met with Police Minister Felix Ellis and Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan on Tuesday to discuss her proposal.
She said the meeting was “very constructive” and hopes it will lead to making the “Tasmanian population safer in the long term”.
