Australians ordered to surrender machetes or go to prison
Victoria has announced a complete ban on the possession, sale, and use of machetes, set to come into effect on September 1. Residents have been given a three-month amnesty period to comply, with officials warning that after November 30, having a machete without an exemption will be a criminal offence.
In a statement on Thursday, Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines said that more than 40 disposal bins had been installed across Victoria, including outside police stations in areas with high rates of violent incidents.
Agricultural workers and those claiming traditional or cultural use will be allowed to keep machetes but must prove eligibility to police if asked.
Australia is being run by complete morons 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/yq4t9JnVM4
The new restrictions follow a rise in what officials have described as gang-related youth crime. Victoria Police reported seizing an average of 44 illegal blades a day in 2025. According to government figures, assaults with edged weapons at shopping centers have risen by 161% since 2014.
Youths aged 10 to 17 are said to make up 13% of offenders overall, while accounting for 63% of robberies, 46% of aggravated burglaries, and more than a quarter of all car thefts.
The new policy has drawn mockery and criticism from some residents, who have questioned the effectiveness of machete drop boxes. Social media users have argued the government is avoiding the underlying causes of the crime spike, pointing to growing concerns over migration and activity by armed African youth gangs in Melbourne. Victoria Premier Allan has repeatedly lauded the state's diversity and multiculturalism.
A similar ban on 'ninja swords' was recently introduced in the UK, which has faced comparable criticism for failing to tackle the underlying drivers of rising knife violence, such as uncontrolled migration.
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Russia Today
4 days ago
- Russia Today
Australians ordered to surrender machetes or go to prison
Australians have been ordered to surrender their machetes or face up to two years in prison and fines exceeding $30,000 under a new weapons ban in Victoria. The state's government adopted the measure in an effort reverse a surge in violent crime. Victoria has announced a complete ban on the possession, sale, and use of machetes, set to come into effect on September 1. Residents have been given a three-month amnesty period to comply, with officials warning that after November 30, having a machete without an exemption will be a criminal offence. In a statement on Thursday, Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines said that more than 40 disposal bins had been installed across Victoria, including outside police stations in areas with high rates of violent incidents. Agricultural workers and those claiming traditional or cultural use will be allowed to keep machetes but must prove eligibility to police if asked. Australia is being run by complete morons 🤦♂️ The new restrictions follow a rise in what officials have described as gang-related youth crime. Victoria Police reported seizing an average of 44 illegal blades a day in 2025. According to government figures, assaults with edged weapons at shopping centers have risen by 161% since 2014. Youths aged 10 to 17 are said to make up 13% of offenders overall, while accounting for 63% of robberies, 46% of aggravated burglaries, and more than a quarter of all car thefts. The new policy has drawn mockery and criticism from some residents, who have questioned the effectiveness of machete drop boxes. Social media users have argued the government is avoiding the underlying causes of the crime spike, pointing to growing concerns over migration and activity by armed African youth gangs in Melbourne. Victoria Premier Allan has repeatedly lauded the state's diversity and multiculturalism. A similar ban on 'ninja swords' was recently introduced in the UK, which has faced comparable criticism for failing to tackle the underlying drivers of rising knife violence, such as uncontrolled migration.
Russia Today
7 days ago
- Russia Today
UK PM bans ‘ninja swords'
Ninja swords are now banned in England and Wales under new laws that came into effect on Friday, the UK Home Office has confirmed. Possessing one in public could lead to a prison sentence of up to four years. The change is part of a wider government effort to curb knife violence. Over 1,000 weapons were surrendered in July during a month-long amnesty campaign aimed at removing dangerous items from the streets, according to the Home Office. The ban follows a series of fatal knife attacks that have shocked the nation. In 2024, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana killed three girls and injured 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed children's recital in Southport. The attack reignited public anger and led ministers to promise tougher rules on online weapon sales, stronger age checks, and bans on certain bladed items such as zombie knives and machetes. In 2024, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said knife crime was at epidemic levels and promised to crack down on lethal weapons. He later confirmed ninja swords would be banned and said the government would deliver on its promises. The new law is part of 'Ronan's Law,' named after 16-year-old Ronan Kanda, who was killed in 2022 with a ninja sword. The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) said the ban will help reduce the presence of these weapons, especially in gang-related violence. The APCC also stated that it aims to explore why people carry knives and how to prevent it, adding that the ban gives police extra powers to seize such weapons and protect communities. Possessing a ninja sword at home carries a penalty of up to six months in prison, but that could rise to two years under a new Crime and Policing Bill currently being considered by Parliament. Knife crime in England and Wales has increased 87% over the past decade, according to official data issued by Britain's interior ministry and the Home Office. In the last year alone, almost 55,000 knife-related incidents were reported, a 2% rise from 2023.
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UK cautions it could fight China over Taiwan
The United Kingdom could resort to military force against China in the event of an escalation over Taiwan, British Defense Secretary John Healey has said, though he emphasized that London continues to prefer a diplomatic resolution. Speaking to The Telegraph during a visit to Australia, Healey said Britain would 'secure peace through strength' if necessary – marking one of the clearest signals yet from a senior UK official regarding the possibility of direct confrontation with Beijing. Healey made the remarks as the HMS Prince of Wales, a British aircraft carrier equipped with F-35 fighter jets, docked in the northern Australian city of Darwin. It is the first time in nearly 30 years that a British strike group has arrived in the region. The carrier is on a nine-month Pacific deployment, participating in Australia's Talisman Sabre exercise and visiting ports in Japan and South Korea. 'If we have to fight, as we have done in the past, Australia and the UK are nations that will fight together. We exercise together and by exercising together and being more ready to fight, we deter better together,' Healey said when asked what London would do in case of an escalation around Taiwan. The secretary then said he was speaking in 'general terms.' According to Healey, London's approach to Taiwan has not changed. China considers the island of Taiwan part of its territory under the One-China principle, and insists on eventual reunification. According to the Chinese government, peaceful reunion is preferable, but it reserves the right to use force if necessary. Taiwan has been self-governed since 1949, when nationalist forces retreated to the island after losing the Chinese Civil War. Most nations, including Russia, recognize Taiwan as part of China. The UK, as well as the US, also formally stick to the One-China principle while maintaining informal ties with Taiwan and supplying it with weapons and ammunition. Last month, Beijing criticized a British warship's passage through the Taiwan Strait in Chinese territorial waters. Such actions 'deliberately cause trouble' and undermine peace in the area, it said.
