New data shows knife crimes fall in first quarter of 25/26

New data confirms why South Australia’s tough new knife laws were the right decision – as the number of knife crimes fall in the first quarter of the 2025-26 financial year.

Data released today on the number of crimes involving knives, other bladed instruments and axes/tomahawks confirms why the Malinauskas Labor Government’s toughest knife laws in the nation are a step in the right direction and will make South Australia safer.

Today’s data from SAPOL shows, as the state has come out of COVID, a slight increase in knife crimes trends over time.

In positive signs, the number of these crimes have reduced by 4.5 per cent in the first 3 months of 2025-26 compared with 2024-25. Further data is available below.

Under the new laws, anyone under the age of 18 is now barred from buying sharp knives under any circumstances, while swords and machetes have now been declared prohibited weapons. Part of those reforms also included creating a new offence for any person who supplies a knife to a child who is suspected of using that knife unlawfully.

Penalties of up to $20,000 or 2 years imprisonment apply for possession of a prohibited sword or machete.

As part of the knife law reforms, a three-month knife handback period was implemented. 3,508 weapons were handed in across South Australian police stations between 1 July and 30 September, an average of approximately 38 weapons per day. 1,653 machetes and 1,170 swords were surrendered to police totalling 2,823, or 80 per cent of all weapons surrendered during the three-month period.

The surrendered weapons include batons, bayonets, nunchuckus, star knives/ninja stars and even a morning star - a medieval weapon consisting of a shaft with a spiked ball attached.

The reforms also include the ability for SAPOL to declare any Shopping Precinct, Public Transport Hub or Public Transport Vehicle in order to conduct metal detector wand searches and order a person or group posing a risk to public safety to leave that declared place for 24 hours. If they re-enter or attempt to re-enter there is a maximum penalty of $1250.

SAPOL’s operations in declared shopping precincts has so far wielded important results – with 9 knives found already.

The Malinauskas Labor Government’s strong action since coming to government to make our community safer includes:

• The toughest knife laws in the nation.
• New laws to crack down on adults who recruit children to commit crime, with penalties of up to 15 years imprisonment.
• Expansion of the CBD declared public precinct, to give police more power to tackle antisocial behaviour.
• Introduced legislation for strong new powers for police to respond to street gangs.
• Record investment in SAPOL to prevent and respond to crime, including $172 million for additional sworn police officers, $12 million to accelerate police recruitment and $31.1 million for essential infrastructure and equipment upgrades.

Quotes

Attributable to Kyam Maher

South Australia has the toughest knife laws in the country to keep our community safe. The latest data shows not only that they were a step in the right direction, but how they are already making a difference.

Unlike the Opposition who ignored knife crime while in government, we have acted with laws that will prevent knife crime.

For 10 consecutive months, South Australia’s crime rate has reduced. The new laws and extra investment in SAPOL we have made since coming to government are working and we will continue to do what is necessary to keep the community safe.

While we have not seen some of the types of knife crimes we have seen on the eastern seaboard, we are not taking anything for granted.