Rising Concerns and Positive Developments in Knife Crime
There are emerging signs that knife crime is gradually decreasing across a state, one year after the government introduced a ban on the sale of machetes. A Victorian government spokesperson acknowledged that crime rates remain high but emphasized that the latest reforms are showing promise.
This comes as a 16-year-old boy was hospitalized with stab wounds following a fight outside a busy cinema complex at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s west around 7pm on Wednesday. A knife was found at the scene and seized by police, with a group of people fleeing once law enforcement arrived.
Two other teenagers sustained minor injuries and did not require hospital treatment, while the 16-year-old boy was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about knife-related violence in the region.
A year ago, the Victorian government announced an Australian-first ban on the sale of machetes in the state. Data has since shown that a record number of knives have been removed from the streets. This move followed a violent incident in May 2025 when shoppers and workers were forced to flee during a chaotic fight between rival gangs wielding machetes at Northland Shopping Centre.
The incident sparked widespread debate and led to significant legal changes, including the implementation of the machete bin program, which costs $13 million. The ban came into effect on September 1, alongside expanded police search powers.
“There were too many victims and not enough consequences – that’s why we’ve delivered major reforms including Adult Time for Violent Crime, Australia’s toughest bail laws and the nation’s first ban on machetes with expanded police search powers,” a government spokesperson told AAP.
In 2025, officers seized almost 22,000 edged weapons, averaging 48 knives, machetes and “zombie knives” per day. According to Victoria Police data provided to AAP on Thursday, about 3,000 knives have already been seized this year.
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson expressed concerns that Victorians feel increasingly unsafe in the state. She stated that if her party wins the election in November, they would introduce Jack’s Law to address the issue.
“This is a government that is not serious about the crime crisis,” she said.
Paul Burke, chief executive of the child safety organisation Les Twentyman Foundation, believes the machete bins have had some effectiveness, but he emphasizes that early intervention is crucial for young people. He pointed to several high-profile knife crime deaths, including the fatal stabbing of a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old walking home from basketball in Cobblebank, as messages to young people.
“(Those) deaths had a bit of a cathartic effect for people realising that if you swing these blades around, people not only get injured, but they can die. That has resonated a little bit.”
