Victoria will ban the sale of all machetes throughout the state until the start of September, Premier Jacinta Allan said today.
Allan said the sales ban, which would allow for no exceptions, would begin from noon Wednesday, May 28 AEST, and would run until September 1.
Under Australian consumer law, such bans can only be put in place on an interim basis, Allan said.
September 1 will mark the beginning of an amnesty period for Victoria’s Australia-first total machete possession ban statewide.
A “machete,” as defined by the government, is a knife with a cutting-edge blade longer than 20cm. However, this definition excludes knives that are mainly used for kitchen purposes.
“These knives are dangerous weapons, they have no place on our streets anywhere,” Allan said.
She explained that the ban on sales could only be enforced now due to the groundwork previously laid for enacting the possession ban.
“Retailers are advised to secure excess inventory in a safe location ahead of the disposal, amnesty, and exemption procedures for banned machetes, which will commence alongside the enforcement of the prohibition on September 1,” stated the state government in a press announcement.
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“We recognise the interim sales ban affects your existing stock and sales – but we must get these knives off shelves, off streets, and out of our lives.”
Consumer Affairs Minister Nick Staikos said a task force would be established to check compliance, and warned that non-compliance would be a criminal offence.
Penalties could include fines of more than $200,000 and prison time.
