Police Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack’s Law Permanent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025

Made brief contribution supporting Jack's Law permanent, noting it delivers on an election commitment to make Queensland safer.

“We echo the sentiment of the police minister, who was a detective, who remarked while introducing the bill that every instance of knife crime leaves a lasting impact on victims, their families and the community and that we will not stand by while innocent lives are lost.”— 2025-06-11View Hansard

As Minister for Police and Emergency Services, moved the bill and strongly defended making Jack's Law permanent, removing red tape for police, and expanding wanding powers to combat knife crime.

“This government does not accept that doing nothing to change this situation is a realistic alternative. We must ensure that our laws are able to meet changing situations as they arise.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

As former 28-year police officer, strongly supported Jack's Law. Criticised Labor's previous red tape that excluded schoolies from wanding operations. Spoke mother to mother to Belinda Beasley.

“Belinda, I cannot begin to imagine the pain you have lived through, but I want you to know your son's name will not be forgotten. His death has not been in vain and because of your strength and courage, thousands of weapons have been taken off Queensland streets.”— 2025-06-11View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent as Labor initiated these laws, but moved amendments to ban the sale of machetes which the opposition argued would strengthen the legislation.

“Labor will always ensure that community safety comes first. We want to see further action that directly addresses the primary policy objective of the bill through proactive prevention of knife related crime by moving to ban the sale of machetes in Queensland.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

As Housing Minister representing the area where Jack lived, passionately supported making Jack's Law permanent. Recounted his long involvement with the Beasley family from the initial petition to the formation of the Jack Beasley Foundation.

“Because of Jack's Law, young Queenslanders will be safer when they head out on a night with their mates. Because of this bill, Jack Beasley will never be forgotten.”— 2025-06-11View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent and praised the Beasley family's advocacy, arguing the government is fixing Labor's red tape that discouraged wanding operations.

“I stood in this place on 29 March 2023, more than two years ago, and told the House why Jack's Law should be permanent.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported Jack's Law permanent, thanking the Beasley family for channelling their grief into meaningful change. Referenced the annual Jack Beasley memorial walk in his electorate.

“The Beasley family could not do it alone. We have a wonderful community on the northern Gold Coast that got around the Beasley family to support them in their time of need.”— 2025-06-11View Hansard

Supported the bill and honoured Jack Beasley's legacy, noting Labor initiated Jack's Law and progressively strengthened it, while criticising claims that Labor 'sidelined' the law.

“Labor is proud that we led the way nationally in the fight against youth crime.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

As Committee Chair, strongly supported the bill, praising its removal of bureaucratic barriers and criticising Labor's proposed machete ban amendment as a 'stunt'.

“Jack's Law is about equipping police with the tools they need to prevent violent crime before it happens.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent and the operational improvements, while urging a holistic approach including community education and youth engagement alongside legislative reform.

“The opposition supports the passage of this bill and the permanent enshrinement of Jack's Law.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, noting Labor introduced the original Jack's Law and the opposition backs making it permanent. Also supported the machete sale ban amendments.

“From the outset, let me be clear: the opposition backs this bill. We recognise its importance.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as another key election commitment, noting that making Jack's Law permanent will continue to save lives by taking weapons off the streets.

“Making Jack's Law permanent will continue to take weapons off the street and it will save lives. It is that simple.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill while expressing concern about the removal of transparency and accountability measures including the independent evaluation, arguing these are important for public confidence.

“When we do away with transparency and accountability then we lose that public confidence.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill but expressed disappointment that the LNP chose not to continue the trial evaluation as recommended by the Griffith University study, arguing this undermines evidence-based policy.

“When we do not respond to and reflect the evidence that is provided by academics and research, we undermine public policy.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Emotionally supported the bill, speaking as a mother about the fear of knife crime and praising the legislation's balance between community safety and civil liberties.

“Our job as a government is to make our community safe and I can assure honourable members I have no problem standing in front of my community in Thuringowa and telling them that I support this amendment bill.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent, criticising Labor's earlier modifications that made it difficult for police to use effectively.

“The Crisafulli government is demonstrating once again our commitment to reducing crime and putting the rights of victims ahead of the rights of offenders.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Opposed the bill due to lack of evidence that wanding prevents knife crime, concerns about discriminatory policing particularly against First Nations people, and the diversion of resources from evidence-based interventions.

“There is no compelling evidence that it will actually achieve that objective. What we do know is that the expansion of arbitrary search powers in public places will give rise to discriminatory policing and profiling.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, citing a local knife attack on army veteran Chris Sanders at Alexandra Hills Shopping Centre and the need for permanent wanding powers.

“Making Jack's Law permanent is just another way that the Crisafulli government is placing the rights of victims over the rights of offenders.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill while emphasising Labor's role in creating Jack's Law in 2021 and progressively strengthening it, urging the government to support the machete ban amendments.

“If they truly believed in prevention, if they truly believed in safety, they would talk with us and support those amendments to ban machete sales unless people have a permit to have one.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as building on Labor's groundbreaking initiative, urging the government to sensibly consider the machete ban amendment proposed by the member for Gladstone.

“It is a great Labor initiative that we introduced in our last term of government. It has been accepted by the LNP government and put into legislation for the future prosperity of our communities.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

As Attorney-General, strongly supported the bill as fulfilling the government's promise to make Jack's Law permanent, criticising Labor for previously refusing to commit to permanence.

“I am incredibly proud to be part of the Crisafulli government that is making Jack's Law permanent.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill while noting stakeholder concerns about removal of accountability safeguards, and supported Labor's machete ban amendment.

“As previously stated, I support this bill today, but I acknowledge the advice submitted to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee during the inquiry.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Strongly supported the bill, citing local knife crime incidents in Far North Queensland and praising the removal of Labor's red tape that limited police effectiveness.

“This legislation makes Jack's Law permanent, after those opposite included a sunset clause in the original legislation that would have seen Jack's Law expire.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill and praised the Beasley family's advocacy, encouraging all members to support the machete ban amendments proposed by the member for Gladstone.

“Labor will be supporting the Police Powers and Responsibilities (Making Jack's Law Permanent) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on the government's election commitment, praising the Ministers for Housing and Police for their work on Jack's Law.

“This legislation is yet another example of the Crisafulli LNP government being a government that keeps its promises—a government that does what it says it is going to do.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent, noting Labor's leadership in introducing these reforms, and called for the machete sales ban to be implemented.

“We must ban the sale of machetes in Queensland. Machetes have absolutely no place in shopping centres, parks, public transport or in our public sporting and entertainment venues.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as giving police practical powers while dismissing Labor's machete ban proposal as a political stunt.

“Labor's policy would penalise legitimate agricultural workers and regional Queenslanders without improving community safety.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported making Jack's Law permanent, emphasising Labor's role in creating and strengthening the law, and urged the LNP to support the machete ban amendments.

“Even if one life is saved as a result of these amendments to ban machetes then this is a win for all of us.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill, questioning why Jack's Law was not made permanent earlier and praising the removal of bureaucratic barriers for police.

“This bill, which makes Jack's Law permanent and removes those bureaucratic hurdles, so that police officers feel confident they can go about their duties and use the powers needed to prevent crime of this kind.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill, credited the member for Morayfield for building the evidence base and community support, and strongly advocated for the machete ban amendment.

“Rather than waiting for a gang or individual to use a machete on Queensland streets, today we have an opportunity to act.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as honouring Jack Beasley's legacy, noting the statistics showing weapons seized and lives potentially saved.

“Jack's Law is a monumental achievement, but it is also a call to action.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill's simplification of Jack's Law for broader application, while noting the government needs to extend the machete sale ban further.

“In 2024, Jack's Law was expanded to cover all public places in Queensland, however only when strict criteria were met. This bill simplifies those for police and will have the effect of allowing a much broader application of Jack's Law, which is welcomed.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering a safer Queensland, praising the Beasley family's advocacy and criticising Labor for undermining Jack's Law with bureaucracy.

“Jack's Law was born out of a tragedy, with the devastating and senseless loss of a 17-year-old Jack Beasley... I want to commend their tireless advocacy.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill and criticised LNP members for calling Labor's machete amendment a 'stunt', expressing disappointment at the diminishment of the Beasleys' nonpartisan work.

“It is so disappointing to hear the LNP today diminish the nonpartisan work the Beasleys have done with both sides of the House.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as making Jack's Law permanent and more effective by removing bureaucratic barriers, criticising Labor's 2023 changes that undermined enforcement.

“Today's improvements will make that law better and more effective than it has ever been.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as building on bipartisan work initiated by the former Labor government, emphasising the importance of evidence-based approaches.

“This important legislation builds on a foundation of bipartisan work to prevent knife crime and, more importantly, protect public safety.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill and strongly advocated for Labor's machete ban amendment, citing a domestic violence incident in her electorate where a woman was attacked with a machete.

“In my electorate a woman was brutally attacked by her partner with a machete in a domestic and family violence incident. Her injuries were horrific and the trauma immeasurable.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as cutting red tape and making Jack's Law permanent, arguing existing laws already prohibit carrying machetes in public.

“A knife includes a thing with a sharpened point or blade that is reasonably capable of being held in one or both hands and being used to wound or threaten to wound anyone when held in one or both hands—hence a machete.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as making Jack's Law permanent and removing Labor's bureaucratic barriers that hindered police effectiveness.

“This bill makes Jack's Law permanent and removes the sunset clause, meaning police can rely on these essential tools for years to come.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as part of the government's commitment to community safety.

“This legislation ensures our police have the powers they need to keep our communities safe.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on the government's commitment to community safety.

“This government is committed to making Queensland safer, and this bill delivers on that commitment.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill as providing police with essential tools to combat knife crime.

“Jack's Law has proven effective in taking dangerous weapons off our streets, and making it permanent is the right thing to do.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard

Supported the bill while emphasising Labor's role in creating Jack's Law and urging support for the machete ban amendments.

“Labor led the way on Jack's Law, and we support making it permanent while calling for further action on machetes.”— 2025-06-10View Hansard