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1. What was proposedPeter CainLiberal · Opposition
   Read the original wording (500 words)

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) knife-related violence represents one of the most significant and devastating threats to community safety in Australia; (b) in 2023, Queensland passed legislation granting police additional powers to use metal detection wands on people without reasonable suspicion in designated areas, including shopping centres, night precincts and transit hubs; (c) the reforms, referred to as Jack’s Law, were introduced following the death of teenager Jack Beasley, in December 2019; (d) in the first year of the introduction of Jack’s Law, more than 500 weapons were seized by Queensland Police; and (e) in June 2024, New South Wales passed similar Jack’s Law reforms with bipartisan support following the tragic 2024 Bondi Junction stabbings; (2) further notes that: (a) incidents of knife-related violence occur in the ACT, including a fatal stabbing in a Civic nightclub in July 2020, and the non-fatal Australian National University stabbing incident in September 2023; (b) between December 2024 and January 2025, 48 knives have been seized during knife-related incidents, including carjackings, assaults and burglaries, according to ACT Policing, some of which were reported to involve children as young as 13 years old; (c) on 27 February 2025, several shops inside the Canberra Outlet Centre undertook emergency lockdown protocols during an alleged knife-related incident when two people, including one armed with a machete, threatened workers and shoppers; (d) section 382 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) establishes that a person cannot without a reasonable excuse carry a knife on them in a public place, but ACT Policing officers do not currently have the capacity to conduct searches on people without reasonable suspicion using metal detection wands; (e) sections 193 and 207 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) grant ACT Policing officers powers, if they suspect on reasonable grounds, to search a person for possession of a knife and stopping, searching and detaining people for possession of a thing relevant to a serious offence, but there is nothing that allows ACT Policing officers to use an “authorised device” such as a metal detection wand to search without reasonable suspicion; (f) in August 2024, the Attorney-General presented a statement on knife- related crime legislative reforms, Jack’s Law, following the Assembly resolution of 16 May 2024; (g) the ACT Government resolved not to introduce these reforms due to insufficient evidence for the need for these powers in the ACT, lack of support by justice stakeholders, and significant concerns about the impact on human rights under the Human Rights Act 2004; and (h) the statement noted that the ACT Government will continue to keep a watch on knife-related violence and explore options as appropriate; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) introduce legislation to grant increased powers for ACT Policing consistent with Jack’s Law within this calendar year; (b) ensure that knife-related violence in the ACT is halted and prevented; and (c) protect frontline workers seeking to prevent knife-related violence in the ACT, particularly ACT Policing officers, as they seek to protect Canberrans.

2. Proposed changeTara CheyneLabor · Minister4 March 2025

   Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point, added reporting or consultation.

   Before

   (a) introduce legislation to grant increased powers for ACT Policing consistent with Jack’s Law within this calendar year

   After this change

   (a) revisit the evidence base in consultation with relevant stakeholders, consider whether there is a need to introduce legislation which increases powers for ACT Policing to respond to knife-related violence, and report back to the Assembly within this calendar year;

   The exact wording of this change

   Omit paragraph (3)(a), substitute: “(a) revisit the evidence base in consultation with relevant stakeholders, consider whether there is a need to introduce legislation which increases powers for ACT Policing to respond to knife-related violence, and report back to the Assembly within this calendar year;”. Debate continued.

   Agreed in a recorded vote, 15 to 8. Its wording is in the final text.

   Ayes 15

   • Yvette Berry, Marisa Paterson, Michael Pettersson, Tara Cheyne, Chris Steel, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Caitlin Tough, Taimus Werner-Gibbings, Suzanne Orr
   • Andrew Braddock, Shane Rattenbury, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall
   • Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson

   Noes 8

   • Chiaka Barry, Peter Cain, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, Jeremy Hanson, James Milligan, Deborah Morris, Mark Parton
3. Proposed changeThomas EmersonIndependent · Crossbench4 March 2025

   Added a call to explore evidence-based wraparound programs that address underlying causes such as mental health, poverty and substance use. Our summary, review in progress

   The exact wording of this change

   Add new paragraph (3)(d): “(d) explore opportunities to implement evidence-based wraparound programs to address the underlying causes of knife crime and other violent crime such as poor mental health, poverty and substance use.”. Debate continued.

   Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.

4. What the Assembly decidedAgreed

   Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.

   Final agreed wording, with changes marked

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) knife-related violence represents one of the most significant and devastating threats to community safety in Australia; (b) in 2023, Queensland passed legislation granting police additional powers to use metal detection wands on people without reasonable suspicion in designated areas, including shopping centres, night precincts and transit hubs; (c) the reforms, referred to as Jack’s Law, were introduced following the death of teenager Jack Beasley, in December 2019; (d) in the first year of the introduction of Jack’s Law, more than 500 weapons were seized by Queensland Police; and (e) in June 2024, New South Wales passed similar Jack’s Law reforms with bipartisan support following the tragic 2024 Bondi Junction stabbings; (2) further notes that: (a) incidents of knife-related violence occur in the ACT, including a fatal stabbing in a Civic nightclub in July 2020, and the non-fatal Australian National University stabbing incident in September 2023; (b) between December 2024 and January 2025, 48 knives have been seized during knife-related incidents, including carjackings, assaults and burglaries, according to ACT Policing, some of which were reported to involve children as young as 13 years old; (c) on 27 February 2025, several shops inside the Canberra Outlet Centre undertook emergency lockdown protocols during an alleged knife-related incident when two people, including one armed with a machete, threatened workers and shoppers; (d) section 382 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) establishes that a person cannot without a reasonable excuse carry a knife on them in a public place, but ACT Policing officers do not currently have the capacity to conduct searches on people without reasonable suspicion using metal detection wands; (e) sections 193 and 207 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) grant ACT Policing officers powers, if they suspect on reasonable grounds, to search a person for possession of a knife and stopping, searching and detaining people for possession of a thing relevant to a serious offence, but there is nothing that allows ACT Policing officers to use an “authorised device” such as a metal detection wand to search without reasonable suspicion; (f) in August 2024, the Attorney-General presented a statement on knife-related crime legislative reforms, Jack’s Law, following the Assembly resolution of 16 May 2024; (g) the ACT Government resolved not to introduce these reforms due to insufficient evidence for the need for these powers in the ACT, lack of support by justice stakeholders, and significant concerns about the impact on human rights under the Human Rights Act 2004; and (h) the statement noted that the ACT Government will continue to keep a watch on knife-related violence and explore options as appropriate; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) revisit the evidence base in consultation with relevant stakeholders, consider whether there is a need to introduce legislation which increases powers for ACT Policing to respond to knife-related violence, and report back to the Assembly within this calendar yearCheyne; (b) ensure that knife-related violence in the ACT is halted and prevented; (c) protect frontline workers seeking to prevent knife-related violence in the ACT, particularly ACT Policing officers, as they seek to protect Canberrans; and (d) explore opportunities to implement evidence-based wraparound programs to address the underlying causes of knife crime and other violent crime such as poor mental health, poverty and substance useEmerson.

   Original and final wording compared

   taken out put in

   That this Assembly: (1) notes that: (a) knife-related violence represents one of the most significant and devastating threats to community safety in Australia; (b) in 2023, Queensland passed legislation granting police additional powers to use metal detection wands on people without reasonable suspicion in designated areas, including shopping centres, night precincts and transit hubs; (c) the reforms, referred to as Jack’s Law, were introduced following the death of teenager Jack Beasley, in December 2019; (d) in the first year of the introduction of Jack’s Law, more than 500 weapons were seized by Queensland Police; and (e) in June 2024, New South Wales passed similar Jack’s Law reforms with bipartisan support following the tragic 2024 Bondi Junction stabbings; (2) further notes that: (a) incidents of knife-related violence occur in the ACT, including a fatal stabbing in a Civic nightclub in July 2020, and the non-fatal Australian National University stabbing incident in September 2023; (b) between December 2024 and January 2025, 48 knives have been seized during knife-related incidents, including carjackings, assaults and burglaries, according to ACT Policing, some of which were reported to involve children as young as 13 years old; (c) on 27 February 2025, several shops inside the Canberra Outlet Centre undertook emergency lockdown protocols during an alleged knife-related incident when two people, including one armed with a machete, threatened workers and shoppers; (d) section 382 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) establishes that a person cannot without a reasonable excuse carry a knife on them in a public place, but ACT Policing officers do not currently have the capacity to conduct searches on people without reasonable suspicion using metal detection wands; (e) sections 193 and 207 of the Crimes Act 1900 (ACT) grant ACT Policing officers powers, if they suspect on reasonable grounds, to search a person for possession of a knife and stopping, searching and detaining people for possession of a thing relevant to a serious offence, but there is nothing that allows ACT Policing officers to use an “authorised device” such as a metal detection wand to search without reasonable suspicion; (f) in August 2024, the Attorney-General presented a statement on [taken out: knife- related][put in: knife-related]crime legislative reforms, Jack’s Law, following the Assembly resolution of 16 May 2024; (g) the ACT Government resolved not to introduce these reforms due to insufficient evidence for the need for these powers in the ACT, lack of support by justice stakeholders, and significant concerns about the impact on human rights under the Human Rights Act 2004; and (h) the statement noted that the ACT Government will continue to keep a watch on knife-related violence and explore options as appropriate; and (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) [put in: revisit the evidence base in consultation with relevant stakeholders, consider whether there is a need to]introduce legislation [taken out: to grant increased][put in: which increases]powers for ACT Policing [taken out: consistent with Jack’s Law][put in: to respond to knife-related violence, and report back to the Assembly]within this calendar year; (b) ensure that knife-related violence in the ACT is halted and prevented; [taken out: and](c) protect frontline workers seeking to prevent knife-related violence in the ACT, particularly ACT Policing officers, as they seek to protect Canberrans; [put in: and (d) explore opportunities to implement evidence-based wraparound programs to address the underlying causes of knife crime and other violent crime such as poor mental health, poverty and substance use.]

   Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.