Considering taking a trip down under this year? If so, leave your pocket knives at home.
Australia is moving ahead with some of the most repressive anti-knife legislation in the world, prohibiting pocket knives and “flick knives,” and mandating that anyone caught with a pocket knife in public explain to police why they need it or face arrest.
According to a recent article in the Warwick Daily News, this sweeping legislation could turn approximately 50,000 formerly law-abiding citizens into criminals over night.
National Public Relations Manager for Katter’s Australian Party Scott Barrett said enforcing the law was a “restriction of freedom, adding,
“It’s purely a political game they’re playing to give us further restrictions. It’s not criminals that will be targeted by this; it’s farmers and fishermen who might have a knife in their tackle box, or tradies who have one on their tool belt.”
Knife laws in Australia and Europe are generally more restrictive than the United States. However, recently the city of Boston has considered further regulating pocket knives and New York City has recently been sued by the knife advocacy group Knife Rights for their campaign against knife owners.
What do you think? Are more restrictive knife laws on the way for the U.S. Sound off in the comment section below
December 27, 2011 at 11:41 pm
ya best leave my knives alone ! ! ! I vote often be warned !
December 28, 2011 at 12:37 pm
Enough restrictions leads to resentment and resentment leads to reaction!
January 21, 2012 at 2:10 am
A knife is not THE PROBLEM its the idiot that is using it;
January 24, 2012 at 11:43 am
The same situation with kinves is in England, i’ve heared… And it’s not a knife, that kill, but a man.
January 28, 2012 at 6:02 am
I am a horse handler and rigger on minesite shutdowns,one handers are a lifsesaver for my work.When the beaurocats
take them off me I am at high risk of serious injury
October 20, 2019 at 9:03 pm
I have an extensive pocket knife collection I inherited from my Father,
I still like to get new models when I find new ones, they are so usfull to have with you anyway I find the Australian laws are so excessive, I’m paranoid
to take one or two out of the house to show anyone, Let’s face it, if anyone
Wanted to do something stupid and hurt someone with a knife, Thare are
At least 5 big sharp ones in most kitchens, and easy excuses for having them
Like / in lunch box for eg. GIVE US A BREAK WITH OUR 3 or 4″ FOLDERS.