The Victorian Government has announced a statewide machete amnesty ahead of a new ban set to take effect in September.
Under the new law, owning, carrying, or purchasing a machete without a valid permit will become a criminal offence, with penalties including up to two years’ imprisonment or fines exceeding $47,000.
From September 1st to 30th of November Victorians can surrender their machetes without penalty at one of 40 designated disposal bins located at police stations across the state.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the move was aimed at reducing knife crime and enhancing public safety. “These knives destroy lives – so we’re taking them off the streets,” she stated, adding, “Victorians have zero tolerance for knife crime, and so do we.”
Certain exemptions will apply for agricultural workers and individuals who use machetes for traditional, historical, or cultural purposes.
The amnesty follows an interim sales ban on machetes that was introduced in May.
