Gun News

Australia’s 2nd-Largest State Bans Machetes, Rolls Out Disposal Bins in Sweeping Crackdown on Knife Ownership

Victoria, Australia – In a move that’s being watched closely by gun and knife rights advocates worldwide, the state of Victoria has become the first Australian jurisdiction to officially ban machetes—a broad class of bladed tools with blades longer than 20 centimeters.

Effective September 1, the new law criminalizes the ownership, sale, use, or purchase of a machete without special government exemption.

To support the crackdown, Victoria has launched a so-called “Machete Amnesty” and set up over 40 confiscation-disposal bins at police stations across the state. The bins—reinforced steel containers anchored by concrete—are designed to receive the dangerous surrendered machetes without penalty until November 30.

“These knives destroy lives – so we’re taking them off the streets,” declared Premier Jacinta Allan, using language eerily reminiscent of past firearm bans.

The Ban Follows Gang Violence

This dramatic policy shift came after a high-profile gang fight at a Melbourne shopping mall in May, where machete-wielding teens injured a young man who later had his arm amputated due to his injury, which sparked national headlines. In response, Allan took time off from promoting free pads and tampons for everyone to fast-track a temporary ban on sales using consumer protection laws—Amazon.com quickly removed machetes from its Australian listings—and now the government is making it permanent.

Police reportedly confiscate an average of 44 illegal knives per day in Victoria. However, the new law targets a specific tool that was previously legal for farming, camping, or collecting.

“Our message to anyone with these weapons is simple – get rid of them or face the consequences,” said Police Minister Anthony Carbines, backing the measure with the threat of two years in prison or a $47,000 AUD fine ($30,700 USD) for non-compliance.

Exceptions—But With Strings Attached

The law includes limited exemptions for agricultural workers and for traditional, cultural, or historical use. However, those exempt must still meet strict compliance rules and prove their eligibility upon request by law enforcement. [Who is surprised they don’t have to attend a day-long training course?].

Self-defense? Not a valid excuse. As stated in Victoria’s previous weapons law: “Self-defence is not a lawful excuse for carrying a controlled weapon.”

And as of now, the definition of “machete” isn’t finalized—only that it’s a blade longer than 20cm. Critics warn this vague scope could one day ensnare camping knives, gardening tools, butcher and bread knives, or other large blades.

Machetes destroy lives and we’re taking them off the streets.

More than 40 safe disposal bins will be available 24/7 at police stations across Victoria to allow people to safely and securely dispose of these weapons.

Available from 1 September. pic.twitter.com/AoJn8j9CS6

— Jacinta Allan (@JacintaAllanMP) July 31, 2025

A Symbolic Ban or Just More Government Overreach?

Second Amendment advocates in the U.S. are sounding the alarm.

In a video response,[above] firearms attorney and commentator Colion Noir called the ban “exactly what happens when you give the government an inch.”

“It’s not about the machete—it’s about the power,” Noir said. “They banned guns. That didn’t stop violence. So now they’re banning knives. But the crime didn’t stop—it never does. So next? Toothpicks? High-capacity shoelaces?”

Indeed, the Australian government continues to ignore the glaring problem: criminals don’t follow bans. The machete-wielding teens in Melbourne were already breaking existing laws. Now, instead of targeting gang violence, the government has chosen to criminalize tools, not behavior.

No Compensation, No Real Strategy

Unlike firearm buybacks of the past, this machete ban includes no compensation for surrendered tools, many of which are still legally purchased and used elsewhere in Australia. Victoria remains the only state implementing such a sweeping policy. Citizens could theoretically still buy machetes from other states—or import them legally under federal law.

There is also no outlined enforcement plan for machetes not turned in by the November 30 deadline. The entire scheme depends on voluntary compliance. Making citizens more vulnerable often leads to more crime—which then gives governments an excuse to take the “next step” in the name of public safety. Rinse and repeat.

Echoes of Australia’s Firearm Confiscation

Australia’s approach mirrors its infamous 1996 firearm confiscation, where over 700,000 guns were seized and destroyed. And just this year, Western Australia passed sweeping new gun restrictions that include mental health checks, strict storage rules, and hard caps on firearm ownership.

It’s a pattern: ban, restrict, register, confiscate—and repeat with the next “dangerous” item.

“You’re not changing their direction,” Noir says. “You’re just dragging your feet on the way to the same cliff.”

A Warning for the U.S.

Victoria’s machete ban may seem like a faraway issue to some Americans, but the parallels are striking. Knife bans are increasing in the UK and Canada. In the U.S., anti-gun politicians are already proposing bans on so-called “assault weapons,” “ghost guns,” and “large-capacity” anything.

Today it’s machetes. Tomorrow, it could be your hunting knife—or your AR-15.

As the Founding Fathers understood, the right to bear arms includes all tools of defense, not just firearms. And when a government starts banning steel and polymer over appearance and politics—rather than actions and criminal intent—freedom suffers.

Tactical Takeaways:

Know your local laws — and how fast they can change.
Stay politically engaged — bans like this are a slow creep, not a sudden leap.
Resist the normalization of tool-based bans — whether it’s machetes in Australia or “scary-looking” rifles in the U.S., the issue is control, not safety.

“Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes,” wrote Thomas Jefferson. Australia would do well to remember that.

Like this article? Share it. The best defense against disarmament is awareness—and action.