"No-brainer": Call for Jack's law to be introduced nationwide
A Queensland father whose son was stabbed on a night out is pushing for Jack's Law to be introduced nationwide in the wake of the Bondi Junction attack and Wakeley Church stabbing.
Brett Beasley is urging NSW premier Chris Minns and other states to introduce the anti-knife law which allows police officers to conduct random searches for knives at public transport hubs and Safe Night precincts using metal detecting wands.
“It’s an absolute no-brainer,” he told news.com.au.
“It’s absolutely extraordinary how well it’s working here in Queensland. I believe every single police officer Australia-wide should have the same powers.”
Beasly and his wife Belinda have spent years campaigning for the law following the tragic death of their son Jack, who was stabbed by a group of teens outside a Surfers Paradise convenience store during a night out in 2019.
It's been three years since the law was introduced in Queensland, and since then 55,000 people have been searched, 800 weapons have been confiscated and 1400 people have been charged.
“It’s the same as being pulled over for a random breath test, it’s exactly the same and it’s working,” Beasly said.
“I can guarantee the NSW government, if they were to adopt Jack’s Law, then they will start finding thousands of weapons. It’s scary to think how many of these young offenders are walking around actually armed and getting away with it.”
Beasly, who was “absolutely devastated” after hearing about the Bondi Junction stabbing spree, said that the NSW premier should waste no time introducing the law.
“Chris Minns shouldn’t even contemplate it. He should just say, ‘Absolutely. Let’s do this’.
“I get thousands of messages from people in New South Wales who say ‘We want Jack’s Law down here, we need it down here’.”
“To lose a child in any way is absolutely horrendous, and to lose a child to murder is the worst way possible. Your child’s life is taken from them.”
Beasly is keen to meet with Minns to discuss rolling out Jacks law in NSW saying: “if Chris Minns is open to a meeting with me, I’ll be on the next flight to Sydney because this government need to make this happen. It’s as simple as that."
A NSW government spokesperson has told news.com.au that they “need to look carefully at our current policies to ensure the public is safe”.
“The NSW Sentencing Council is currently undertaking a review of the sentencing laws for firearms, knives and other weapons offences. The NSW Government will also look at knife laws,” they said.
“We will await the review findings and consider all recommendations carefully.”
Beasly is also planning to meet with the Governor of Western Australia on Monday and hopes that they will also adopt the law.
While waiting for other states to adopt the law, Beasly and the Jack Beasley Foundation are delivering free presentations about knife crime in schools.
“Let’s work on this together and bond together and make a change and see if we can stop this,” he said.
Image: Jerad Williams/ news.com.au