1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,720 Speaker 1: Let's talk about knives, because the government announced it will 2 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:07,600 Speaker 1: tackle knife crime in South Australia further. As I said 3 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: a little while ago, I can remember going to a 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: media conference with Mike rad back in the early two thousands, 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: about two thousand and four, roughly where he announced new 6 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,160 Speaker 1: laws governing the sale of knives. That followed a big 7 00:00:18,200 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 1: brawl in the city around Grenfell Street and James Place. 8 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 1: A couple of teenage gangs and youths involved in that 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: and knives were brandished. I think someone was injured, if 10 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: my memory serves correctly, and taken to hospital and that 11 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: led to the state government then introducing tougher knife laws. Well, 12 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: we're going to take it one step further. KaiA Mars, 13 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: State Attorney General on the line. Attorney, good morning, Good. 14 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 2: Morning, Matthew. And you're quite right. There have been reforms 15 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: in the past that has had South Australia's sort of 16 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: the toughest date on knife and knife crimes. In the 17 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: early two thousands, and in twenty twelve and again in 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 2: twenty seventeen knives laws were strengthened. So we're keen to 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: retain that sort of mantle. Is that making sure we 20 00:01:03,080 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 2: have the toughest laws on knife crimes to help prevent 21 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 2: things occurring and try and make the community as safe 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 2: as possible. 23 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: So increasing the age from sixteen to eighteen to buy 24 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 1: a knife, are we talking all sorts of nights. If 25 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: somebody wants a kitchen set and you know, I want 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: to buy it from mum and dad and they're fifteen's 27 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 1: what's the deal. 28 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, at the moment, sixteen's the middle age to buy knives, 29 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 2: except for things like disposable plastic and wooden knives. The 30 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: discussion paper poses the question should that be raised to eighteen? 31 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: But of course if you're doing that, I think, and 32 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: I think the discussion paper will throw these up. Matthew. 33 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 2: Is you'd have to have some exemption. So if you're 34 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:45,320 Speaker 2: an apprentice butcher or chef, for example, you'd have to 35 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: have an ability to own knives that you need for 36 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: your apprenticeship. But that's one of the things that we supposed, 37 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: Possibly even more importantly is looking at the use of 38 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 2: metal detectors, Matthew. So, at the moment, under a general 39 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: search warrant or declared public precinct, police have the power 40 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,919 Speaker 2: to use those handheld metal wands that can detect metal. 41 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: We're looking in this discussion paper whether those powers should 42 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 2: be extended further, and importantly to your previous topic, whether 43 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: there should be that general ability without a search want 44 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 2: to use metal detectors on public transport or at public 45 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: transport stations as well. 46 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: I say, yes, there's my vote for that one. There's 47 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:27,239 Speaker 1: your response. 48 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 2: Do it consider your feedback noted? But yeah, certainly I 49 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: think that's a sensible way to go. But we do 50 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 2: discussion papers, so we give people opportunity to look at 51 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 2: exactly what we're asking. If that you've out, there's anything 52 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 2: we haven't thought of the people to put forward. But 53 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 2: later this year I would expect we'll have legislation in 54 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,960 Speaker 2: Parliament to make some changes to make sure, as I say, 55 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 2: we're doing those things that keeps South Australia as safe 56 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: as we can. 57 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: David's made a really good point, and I've got this 58 00:02:56,600 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: on my list. You're talking about knives, he says, the 59 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: new law around owning of knives needs to be changed. 60 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: People will use screwdrivers, axes, hammers, whatever. The new law 61 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: needs to be more open so it covers anything deemed 62 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:10,799 Speaker 1: to be used as a Weapon's good point. 63 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 2: Excellent point, Matthew. And already the laws around offensive weapons 64 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:20,240 Speaker 2: cover things that and then chains are an example that 65 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 2: might have an ordinary use that wouldn't pre pivot you 66 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: having them morring them. But our laws around offensive weapons 67 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: can cover things that are ordinary items but used in 68 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 2: a way as weapons. So there is a potential already 69 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 2: to be charged if you have some of these items 70 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 2: intending them to be used as weapons. 71 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: Okay, Arthur says, nanny State knife perfectly safe in the 72 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: right hands. You need to be tough on the criminals. 73 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: You can stab someone with a pen. You're going to 74 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: ban a pen next. 75 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 2: Again, if you're using something intended to used as a weapon, 76 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,880 Speaker 2: it can be classed as an offensive weapon. And I 77 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: do take the point that your call is making that 78 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: it's people who use these in correctly, but making sure 79 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: there are the laws that help with the prevention, like 80 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: that metal detection might just take them out of the 81 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: hands of someone who wants to do the wrong thing. 82 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: So all right, people can go online and have their say. Now, 83 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: is this change motivated by what we saw the tragic 84 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: incidents in Bondai last month? 85 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,839 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it is, Parling Matthew. It's not in response 86 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 2: to anything that's happened in South Australia. But when you 87 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: look around the country and you mentioned that the tragedy 88 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 2: at Bondai Junction, and we've seen in some other states 89 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: the use of knife and crimes increasing. We don't have 90 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 2: evidence that there's a signific increase in South Australia. But 91 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 2: sometimes you want to take action before you get to 92 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 2: that stage, which is why we've looked around the country 93 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 2: and said, let's do something before it becomes a problem here. 94 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 2: And while we've released that discussion paper, all. 95 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: Right, and you know knives being so readily available, and 96 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: we saw the incident in Marian shopping center before the court, 97 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: so we won't talk about that. But if kids are 98 00:04:55,400 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: in gangs and they want to get together anywhere and 99 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 1: stage some sort of dramatic incident, well they can just 100 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: pull a knife out of mum and dad's kitchen draw, 101 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: can't they. 102 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 2: Well, yeah they can, which is why we're looking at you. 103 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 2: Does there need to be strengthening of those abilities to 104 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 2: search people in particular precins and those could include shopping 105 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: centers without the needs for the warrant. 106 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:20,640 Speaker 1: Okay, well that's good, so all right, people can go 107 00:05:20,720 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: online you'll say dot s A, dot gov, dot AU 108 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: and search there for knife crime and then just have 109 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: their say as to what they want. And look, I 110 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:33,119 Speaker 1: think all of these changes. As I say at the start, 111 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,599 Speaker 1: I will only intend using a knife in my kitchen 112 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 1: and nowhere else, frankly, and that's most of us. But 113 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 1: for those that don't have these laws make it any 114 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: more difficult or increase penalties in some way for anyone 115 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: carrying a knife, or that can only be a good thing. 116 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 2: Yeah. So yeah, and that's the website. We're keen for 117 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,839 Speaker 2: feedback at closes at the end of August. And I 118 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: thank you for our very first piece of feedback on 119 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:00,080 Speaker 2: this the Stata papers this morning right here on 120 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,039 Speaker 1: Your kid mar Attorney General, thank you for your time.