Victoria’s ban on machetes has begun, with penalties of up to two years’ jail or a fine of more than $47,000 for people who break the rules.
The law change from Monday 1 September makes it illegal to own, use, carry, transport or sell the knives without an exemption or valid approval.
The state fast-tracked an interim machete sales ban after a fight between rival gangs at Melbourne’s Northland Shopping Centre sent shoppers running for their lives.
Police Minister Anthony Carbines urged people to hand in machetes as part of a three-month amnesty running until November 30.
More than 40 safe disposal bins have been installed at police stations across the state, including Lilydale and Ringwood, to allow people to hand in machetes without penalty.
“We encourage all Victorians to play their part to dry up the supply of machetes in our community,” Mr Carbines told reporters.
The laws are among the toughest in Australia – South Australia enacted a ban on machetes and swords in July.
Some 14,805 edged weapons were seized in Victoria in 2024, with another 8900 confiscated by police between January and July.
Since May, a task force has completed 573 in-store and online inspections, as well as 2400 market stall inspections, and found a high level of compliance with the sales ban.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has urged parents to hand in machetes belonging to their kids, noting children make up 25 per cent of knife-crime offenders in the state.
There are exemptions under the laws for agricultural workers who use machetes as part of their job and for machetes that have a genuine traditional, historical, or cultural significance.
