Big blades came out during an alleged gang fight in a suburban shopping mall that injured one man. Days later, officials in Victoria levied a ban on knives broadly described as “machetes.”
A melee in a Melbourne, Australia, shopping center led swiftly to a ban on machetes in the country’s second-biggest state — and a promise of heavy penalties for anyone who carries one.
Shoppers looked on as a “mob rampage” started to escalate in the Northland Shopping Centre on Sunday, May 25. Up to eight combatants, later described by police as “youth gang members,” carried machetes into the altercation, which left a 20-year-old man injured.
About 40 police officers responded to the fight, the AP reported. Officers arrested two alleged primary offenders at the scene, boys aged 15 and 16, and charged them with using controlled weapons and other offenses. By Monday, police had arrested and charged two other suspects, ages 18 and 20.
State authorities promised to act quickly. “I will introduce as many laws (as needed) to get these dangerous knives off the streets,” Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said Monday.
She did. Victorian state officials immediately announced a ban on the large blades, and measures were in place by Wednesday, May 28.
Blade Ban Not Cut and Dried
The mandate prohibits retailers from selling knives with blades longer than 20 cm (7.87”) except kitchen knives. It also forbids individuals from purchasing or carrying a machete in Victoria, punishable by up to 2 years in jail and fines up to 47,000 Australian dollars ($30,700 USD) for anyone caught in violation.
Victorian Consumer Affairs Minister Nick Staikos told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that retailers could face fines of up to 200,000 AUD.
The resolution is beset by regulatory and commercial complexities. It cuts broad strokes, defining “machetes” as “large, broad-bladed cutting knives,” according to ABC. The government shared images of knives that meet the description, with the caveat that the ban is not limited to the array.
Victoria is also the only Australian state with a ban on machetes, a situation that has raised questions about how officials will monitor retailers across borders. Staikos, the Consumer Affairs Minister, told ABC, “My expectation is that every retailer who does business in Victoria immediately removes machetes from sale.”
But the country doesn’t cover the category with import restrictions, and the Australian Border Force told ABC it “doesn’t have oversight over how items move across state lines.”
The sweeping measure also addresses not only would-be criminals, but also workers who use machetes, like field laborers. As of Sept. 1, they’ll need to apply for exemptions for their tools. The government, per ABC, has not released further details.
For now, Allan’s ban places some onus on retailers and knife users to define what is or isn’t a machete. Consumer Affairs Victoria director Nicole Rich told ABC that, for anyone in doubt about whether a knife belonged in the category, she “would suggest it’s probably a machete and you shouldn’t be selling it.”
Officials also hinted that the ban could eventually expand to include blades under 20cm long.
Impacts on Agricultural, Outdoor, and Overlanding Communities
Bans like this can have further-reaching implications when you step back and look at the practical aspects of the large blades.
“Machetes are farm implements. As such, most countries don’t classify them as weapons. Most overland travelers carry one in their vehicle, as they are useful tools when off-road, around camp, and for self-defense,” said Bryon Dorr, GearJunkie Motors Editor.
Zooming Out: Australian Violent Crime Concerns Mount
The ban follows months of escalating concerns about violent crime in Victoria. Authorities grappled with record crime in the southeastern state in 2024, making the most arrests in any year since electronic record-keeping began in 1993.
Recent carjackings and home invasions have involved assaults with machetes. In one high-profile incident, a 77-year-old woman suffered an alleged machete attack while assailants robbed her in her home.
Allan’s directives arrive at a tenuous moment as Australia at large reckons with violent crime. Ever since an infamous mass shooting in 1996, the country has carried a global reputation for strict weapons laws.
However, according to the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, that trend may be rounding a corner. The agency shared in a recent report that more guns are now circulating in the country than ever before.
Youth crime is also a growing concern. Overall numbers of offenders aged 10-17 decreased in 2024, but repeat offenses in the same age group spiked. Contentious calls to tighten bail laws have resulted.
While the two adult suspects in Sunday’s mall altercation were out on bail as of Monday, the AP reported the 15- and 16-year-olds were still in custody, set to appear in a youth court at a later date.
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