Labor promises to implement "Jack's Law" if it is re-elected in Victoria
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll will give police sweeping powers to stop and search anyone in public if Labor is re-elected, borrowing another policy from the opposition that the Labor government had previously resisted.
The commitment means Victoria Police will be granted expanded powers under legislation known as "Jack's Law" to crack down on knife crime regardless of which party wins the November election.
Under Labor's commitment, police would receive 1,200 extra handheld metal-detecting wands to use on any person in a public place from early next year.
Jack Beasley was attacked in Surfers Paradise in 2019. (Supplied)
"Stop-and-search powers for deadly blades, anywhere, any time, to get these knives off our streets," Police Minister Paul Edbrooke said.
Jack's Law is named after teenager Jack Beasley who was fatally stabbed while out with friends on the Gold Coast in 2019.
His parents, Brett and Belinda, have advocated for change and several states have modelled legislation based on Queensland's response.
"I stand with parents like Brett and Belinda, just like I stand with all Victorians who have had their lives destroyed by violence," Mr Carroll said.
Belinda and Brett Beasley fought for the laws to be introduced in Queensland following their son's death. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
The opposition promised the reform in September last year, after the government picked up the Coalition's policy to ban machetes.
Labor dismissed expanding search powers under former leader Jacinta Allan, but Mr Carroll has been keen to differentiate himself from his predecessor since taking the leadership in July, immediately indicating his government would focus on crime.
Ben Carroll has vowed to focus on crime during his time as premier. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)
'No evidence' of crime reduction
Swinburne University criminologist Joel McGregor said he understood the appeal of applying Jack's Law to Victoria but doubted it would reduce knife crime.
"Potentially, wanding will take some knives out of the community," the senior lecturer said.
"But it's really not addressing these underlying drivers of violence within our community.
"[Young people] can they carry knives for quite different reasons. Some can be around fear and protection, some can be around victimisation, other things can be around peer influence."
There is little data to suggest that wanding laws in Queensland have led to a reduction in violent crimes. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)
A 2022 Griffith University review into the initial 12-month trial of Jack's Law in Queensland found there was "no evidence" that wanding deterred knife carrying or led to a reduction in violent offending.
Despite those findings, the laws passed through Queensland's parliament in June 2025.
Dr McGregor said enhanced early intervention and prevention programs would have a stronger impact on violence crimes in Victoria.
"We want people to feel like they're safe in their communities … and to feel like they belong," he said.
"It's about taking a public health approach to reducing violence, rather than thinking that we can just simply police our way out."
Dr McGregor said another concern was that the legislation would lead to "particular groups of people being targeted".
An analysis of data from July 2025 to June this year showed that more than one in 10 people searched for weapons in Queensland identified as First Nations.
In Victoria, officers can stop and search people at random only when police declare a "designated area".
This can include a shopping centre, sports precinct or entire suburbs for up to six months at a time.
Police do not need a warrant and there is no legal need to have any suspicion the person has a weapon or is engaging in any wrongdoing when a declaration is in place.
The Victorian government announced a blanket ban on machetes and long knives last year. (ABC News: Nicole Asher)
This year the Federal Court found that designating all of Melbourne CBD and its surrounds for six months straight was invalid and breached the human rights charter, in a case brought by the Human Rights Law Centre.
Two years' worth of data obtained by Liberty Victoria revealed that just over 1 per cent of searches in designated areas resulted in any "objects or substances" being found.
First Nations people and those perceived to be African are more likely to be searched, according to data the Centre for Racial Profiling Network has previously found using freedom of information laws.
Victoria Police has always maintained the force has zero tolerance for racial profiling.
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