Overview

• The stabbing deaths of 12-year-old Chol Achiek and 15-year-old Dau Akueng in Cobblebank have triggered renewed demands for random public wanding powers in Victoria.
• Police Minister Anthony Carbines signaled the government is not considering Queensland-style Jack’s Law, saying police have not requested it and pointing to 14,500 edged weapons seized in 2024 and more than 10,000 so far in 2025.
• A community petition led by local mother Aimee Henderson has topped 8,000 signatures, with victims' families and retail groups urging adoption of the law.
• Criminologists and a Griffith University review report no demonstrated reduction in knife crime from wanding trials and warn of disproportionate impacts on culturally diverse and Indigenous youths.
• Victoria has expanded designated-area search powers and introduced a statewide machete ban with about 500 weapons surrendered to date, as Queensland makes Jack’s Law permanent and NSW adopts a similar model.