Posted on 06/28/2004 8:07:38 PM PDT by BradJ
Swords will become prohibited weapons from July 1, carrying penalties of up to $12,000 or six months in prison for illegal use or possession, the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Andre Haermeyer said today.
Mr Haermeyer announced new sword regulations today, saying they would assist Victoria Police to crack down on incidents involving swords.
"The Bracks Government is implementing these new regulations to help Victoria Police overcome this culture of young people arming themselves with swords," Mr Haermeyer said.
"From July 1, swords will be made prohibited weapons, making it illegal to use, possess or carry a sword."
Mr Haermeyer said the elevation of swords from controlled to prohibited weapons would also impact on vendors attempting to sell swords.
"It is illegal to sell prohibited weapons other than in limited circumstances. Vendors will only be legally permitted to sell a sword to an individual who can produce evidence that they fall within an exempt category or have a specific approval from the Chief Commissioner," he said.
"Vendors will be required to register who they have sold swords to, the nature of the buyers' exemption and the type of sword or swords.
"Police will have the power to inspect a vendor's register."
Mr Haermeyer said the Government would establish exempt categories to ensure legitimate sword owners were not disadvantaged.
"There are some cultural, religious, military and collector groups that have legitimate reasons to own swords," he said.
"Such groups will be able to apply for an Order exempting their members from the need to obtain individual approvals. Also, individuals who do not fall into those categories will be able to apply to the Chief Commissioner of Police for an individual approval."
He said the new Orders would also carry some security conditions.
"Legitimate sword owners understand the importance of ensuring that their swords do not fall into the wrong hands," Mr Haermeyer said.
"Our intention is to ensure that security requirements provide a level of community assurance without being too onerous for legitimate sword owners."
Mr Haermeyer said the Government had issued a Regulatory Impact Statement regarding swords last year and had assessed feedback from a range of stakeholders.
"It's clear that the majority of Victorians back the push to keep swords off the streets," he said.
"The feedback we have received from stakeholders has been valuable and will help to ensure that we achieve this aim while not unfairly disadvantaging legitimate sword owners."
Mr Haermeyer said the Government had given police 480 metal detectors and late last year introduced new search powers, to enable Victoria Police to search people they reasonably suspect are carrying weapons.
Also, in the Autumn 2000 session of Parliament, new legislation was passed to restrict the sale and possession of knives and other weapons.
Bad news for the Knights of Columbus.
Right. Muslims need them for the beheadings.
Can't stop religous use of swords, but all you other wankers, forget it.
Very probably.
Many years ago, I was was taking a study break at about 3 in the morning and went to the local 7-11 to get some snacks and to talk to the clerk, a classmate of mine. As we were talking, a drunken frat-guy came swaggering into the store and demanded to cash a presonal check for $20. He was told that this was against store policy. He tried to argue but the clerk, who was 6'5" and looked something like a Viking, stared him down.
The drunk grumbled under his breath, then turned and spat on the glass door as he walked out. The clerk didn't see it, so I told him, "hey, Don, that [anus] just spat on your door."
Don looked up, saw the glob of spittle running down the glass and yelled, "why, that SOB, I'll cut him into little pieces!"
At that point, he reached under the counter, grabbed what turned out to be a genuine antique cavalry sabre, and charged into the parking lot waving the blade over his head. He cornered the miscreant as the latter tried to get into his car. "Spit on my door, you ******? I'm gonna' cut yer' ****ing arms and legs off and slice out yer' tongue if you ever show your **** ***** face around here again," the sword wielding clerk yelled.
The drunk started his car and departed in some haste.
I recovered from my amazement long enough to ask, "Er, what if he'd had a gun?"
"No sweat," Don responded. He then reached into his back pocket and took out a Walther PPK-S.
Needless to say, this was against the law, let alone company policy, but he was never caught. He never shot anyone or chopped them into pieces in the parking lot, at least not to my knowledge.
The drunk apparently didn't call the police, possibly for fear of not being believed, but it is a true story, so help me.
Don the clerk is now a State Department official in Asia and is still something of a sword fancier.
I don't even think the Nazis or Soviets banned swords.
Well ain't that grand. No guns allowed, and the only ones that can have a Sword are Islamists.
Last year or so there was a court case here in the USA cause some grade school kids had a "religious" reason to wear daggers to school.
They won.
Tolerance...Give them an inch and they will take a Kill-O-Metre
So now, every rotten kid in Oz will go to practicing Sun Style and carrying canes. Then they'll outlaw canes, and gimps will be forced to crawl.
The Nazis and Soviets weren't up against stuck-in-the-12th-century møøselimbs...
Eventually they will be banning butter knifes. Then only the crooks will have those also. They will be easy to spot too. They will be the ones with evenly buttered toast.
If I remember correctly they're some kind of Hindu/Muslim hybrid religion.
Lets not forget nail guns, staplers, hammers, pickaxes, scythes, and every variation of turkey carving apparatus. The Aussies have let their government turn them into a bunch of Tapioca eating sheep. You get what you pay for Matey.
OK, first of all, it's not the Australian government doing this (which is a Liberal/National Coalition government and is conservative in nature). Rather it's the government of one state - Victoria - which has a Labor government - a socialist government).
Secondly, since the Police Minister made these statements nearly four months ago, the position has changed quite substantially. Swords will be added to the prohibited weapons list in Victoria. However, this does not mean swords have been made illegal - the prohibited weapons list doesn't actually prohibit weapons, despite its name.
Basically the only effect this change is going to have in reality is that minors won't be able to buy such weapons, and some slight differences on how the law deals with people who misuse them, or use them to commit crimes.
One example - a few weeks ago a nutcase with a sword attacked two policemen in Melbourne. They shot him and he died.
Now, obviously, a police shooting, needs to be investigated.
If swords had been on the PW list, the investigation would be over by now. He attacked police with a weapon. He was shot. End of story.
Because swords are not on the list, they've had to prove that they were attacked with a weapon, before they can even use the defence that they were attacked with a weapon.
What the changes don't do, though, is ban swords or make swords illegal. It just makes it easier for them to be treated as weapons in law, when they are used as weapons.
There's a *lot* of 'weapons' on the list that are sold openly and openly possessed.
The Police Minister wanted to do more - but he failed.
It's pretty much a non-story being stirred up by some people.
Now *if* the Minister decides to start prosecuting people, then there would be a story. But I doubt he's going to. They don't prosecute people for carrying knives and they've been on the list about 15 years.
Actually this is from the state government of Victoria, and not the Australian federal government. Victoria is well known in Australia for its politics of warm inner glow (or liberal politics in American terms) - its capital and largest city, Melbourne, is a lot like Toronto and Montreal of Canada, and San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston rolled together.
Ah! Thanks for the clarification.
Well there were these immortal guys who were chopping off each other's heads...
Let's make this clear as well.
Guns *are* allowed in Australia. I've only just started posting today, but I've been reading these forums for quite a while, and I actually get pretty disturbed sometimes about the misinformation about Australia that gets posted here at times.
Australia has not banned guns. Simple fact. This has not happened. I got a fair collection myself all held on civilian permits. (I've also got one that I have on a military permit). The reason most of my weapons are on civilian permits is because I think it's important that the laws that allow citizens to own firearms are used.
Yes, we have stricter gun laws than most of the US. Yes, we have registration. Yes, the laws go too far in my opinion.
But they haven't disarmed us. Unless you've got a criminal record, you'll have no real problem owning a gun in Australia.
Owning an assault rifle or a handgun is a little harder - but you can still do it.
I'm not saying our laws are good laws - because they're not. But they don't go anywhere near as far as some people try to suggest they do here at times.
The bliss ninnies will be happy because something is being done about something they don't like in their neighborhoods.
The frog never seems to realize how hot the water is getting until it's practically boiling...
~ Blue Jays ~
Wow. I would be a felon in Australia. Guess I won't ever move there.
There is no way the Government is getting my LOTR Sting sword from me.
Now I am even more confused. I thought Punjab was Little Orphan Annie's Big Brother. Or was that the Asp?
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