In April 2023, the Queensland Parliament passed the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Jack’s Law) Amendment Bill to expand the trial of handheld scanners to detect unlawfully possessed knives beyond the Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach safe night precincts. At the time, Sandy raised the shortfall that it only related to the 15 safe night precincts in the state when it should be expanded to all of Queensland. Following continued advocacy, the Queensland Government has now introduced a bill to expand the use of these handheld devices to more areas. The full announcement is below:

Queensland Police Minister has today introduced a bill to the parliament, proposing the expansion of Jack’s Law to more places in Queensland.

Jack’s Law enables metal detecting wands to be used to detect knives being carried in public spaces and gives police the powers to issue penalties for unlawfully possessing a knife in a public space.

The proposed expansion will see Jack’s Law used in additional locations like shopping centres, licenced premises, sporting and entertainment venues and high-risk retail outlets.

This builds on its used in safe night precincts and public transport hubs.

The proposal also extends the trial period until October 2026.

To enable this expansion, the Miles Government is investing $900,000 to ensure frontline police and police stations have access to enough metal detecting wanding devices.

An additional 3,000 wanding devices will be provided, bringing the total number to over 4,500 statewide.

‘Jacks Law’ was initially passed by Queensland Parliament in March of 2023 and commenced in April 2023.

This legislation was in response to the tragic death of Jack Beasley on the Gold Coast in 2019.

Since its introduction, over 540 weapons have been seized as a result of Jack’s Law.

The new bill has been referred to the committees which will facilitate a community consultation. To ensure you don’t miss out when this opens, subscribe at www.parliament.qld.gov.au/Visit-and-learn/Have-Your-Say/Subscribe to be notified when submissions open for new bill inquiries and receive other updates.

The following is an excerpt from Sandy’s debate speech, referenced earlier, in Parliament when the original bill was passed in April 2023:

“The shortfall of this bill is that it only relates to the 15 safe night precincts when it should be expanded to all of Queensland. As Brett Beasley said, Jack’s Law is about child safety and about keeping all of our kids and the wider community safe. 

I have spoken in this chamber previously about the issues Noosa has experienced since lockdowns ended—visiting youths rampaging in Hastings Street, jumping on cars and terrorising all. I have spoken about the trashing of our main beach last New Year, and I will speak later tonight on the recent reports of an assault, which included a knife, of a young lass. I have made inquiries via two estimates hearings as to what happened to the alcohol fuelled violence funding to pay for the overtime for our police at peak periods that disappeared and which my community has been left to fund. I do not want a death in my electorate or anywhere in Queensland as a result of bills that do not accommodate the indicators that this could happen outside of safe night precincts.”

Further information

To contact the relevant Queensland Minister, email the Minister for Police via police@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Please cc’ our office via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward us any response you receive.

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