The CAA applauds the belated ban on edged weapons (Machetes) and, like every other Victorian, demands that the ban be immediate.
There is no plausible excuse for a delay.
That a ban was not in place a long time ago beggars’ belief; however, the belated action that will take nine months before coming into effect is absolutely ridiculous; just what are the government planners thinking?
Haven’t they worked it out? It is not the weapon that is the problem. It is the idiot holding onto it.
If they seriously think that the perpetrators who use these weapons are going to show good community responsibility and put their prized weapons and symbols of power into a bin, the government planners are delusional.
For goodness’ sake, these weapons are status symbols that will disappear under their bed, not in a government bin.
And they will be replaced by Mum’s stainless-steel carver.
The Government needs to realise that banning the products altogether will only develop black market trading in the items, playing into the current black market (organised crime) marketing strategy – identify what the market wants, and if it is illegal, go for it.
This strategy works for the crooks, creating unintended consequences, as happened with tobacco. The weapons will probably be sold under the counter from the same shops.
The solution is banning the carrying of edged weapons of every description and giving the Police additional powers to search and seize, supported by mandated penalties to force the anthropomorphic magistracy, where coincidently many of our society ills are created because of their ineptitude, to undertake their role to keep us safe.
It’s not the weapon but the environment where it is located.
Mum’s stainless-steel carver could be the weapon a person is charged with possessing.
At 2.00 am, with a group of mates, the carver is as lethal as a machete and attracts the same status.
If care is not taken, the kitchen arsenal will replace the machete, and we will be no better off. The blades may be shorter, but the victim is just as dead.
It is not anti-social to own an edged weapon, but as soon as it is carried in a public place, the rules change; it’s not the weapon; it is the intended use, intimidation, attack or defence that is the issue.
When the planners grasp that concept, then they might come up with an effective solution like reviewing current legislation and, where necessary, tweaking it to provide the Police with the capacity to properly address the issue rather than being hamstrung by nice restrictive policies sponsored by the socialist elite.
Starting to think of the Police operational necessities (where the rubber hits the road) may go a long way to solving this issue.
Viewing this matter through a political prism will be the downfall of any efforts to curb unnecessary deaths and intimidation.
Total rubbish, banning inanimate objects does not address the core problem, people.
Once home invasions and carjackings were almost unheard of, except for the odd crook running through another crooks house.
The current crime wave is the result of mass importation of people who have no interest and no affinity with Aussie culture, that and the utter failure of the courts and government to make crime have consequences.
You can ban all the stuff you want and all that will do is make life difficult for law abiding citizens, we have very tough gun laws but that doesn’t stop any crook who wants one from getting one.
I expect better from the CAA.
Banning the sale of machetes is a step in the right direction but online sites of purchase also need to be banned. This won’t add to the kitchen arsenal as it has always been there. The most significant weapon used in murder is the kitchen knife simply because of availability, so nothing will change. We need to stop the propaganda dished out by Allen, ” we have given the police extra powers to search individuals” Yeah right, that’s after an add is placed in the newspaper to declare a designated area even if it is for 6 months has major limitations. Police must have the power to search any one any vehicle at anytime without reasonable grounds. This is not an abuse of police powers as police won’t be targeting families or respectable people but groups of dodgy looking individuals. That’s the world we now live in.
NAILED IT!!! Government planners take note: The social problem is widely, and mostly, understood. The current political response is inadequate, even inappropriate. Back to the drawing board!!!
I have carried a pocket knife for 60 years or more and it eventually morphed into a multi tool. I would hate to have to give it up as not a day goes by that it doesn’t get used, as a tool.
It would never even cross my mind to use it as a weapon.
I say we simply ban all edged tools, one can already by bread pre sliced and we can simply purée any steaks. Thus knives are no longer needed
Seeing as my last comment wasn’t published, I’ll try again.
“It’s not the weapon but the people using it” Is what your sentence should’ve said.
If your desired law is effected then tradesmen, anglers and lots of others will become criminals.
Like guns, the law abiding will be restricted but the crooks will always have what they want.