Labor promises to implement 'Jack's Law' if it is re-elected in Victoria - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Victorian Labor says it will expand police search powers if it wins the election in November. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)

Labor has promised to adopt expanded stop and search powers under "Jack's Law" if it is elected again in Victoria, borrowing from a previously announced Coalition policy.

Criminologists and rights groups argue there is little evidence to suggest expanded powers lead to a reduction in violent offending and warn it can promote racial profiling.

Victoria Police powers are set to expand regardless of whether Labor or the Coalition win the state election.

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll will give police sweeping powers to stop and search anyone in public if Labor is re-elected, borrowing another policy from the opposition that the Labor government had previously resisted.

The commitment means Victoria Police will be granted expanded powers under legislation known as "Jack's Law" to crack down on knife crime regardless of which party wins the November election.

Under Labor's commitment, police would receive 1,200 extra handheld metal-detecting wands to use on any person in a public place from early next year.

Jack Beasley was attacked in Surfers Paradise in 2019. (Supplied)

"Stop-and-search powers for deadly blades, anywhere, any time, to get these knives off our streets," Police Minister Paul Edbrooke said.

Jack's Law is named after teenager Jack Beasley who was fatally stabbed while out with friends on the Gold Coast in 2019.

His parents, Brett and Belinda, have advocated for change and several states have modelled legislation based on Queensland's response.

"I stand with parents like Brett and Belinda, just like I stand with all Victorians who have had their lives destroyed by violence," Mr Carroll said.

The opposition promised the reform in September last year, after the government picked up the Coalition's policy to ban machetes.

Ben Carroll has vowed to focus on crime during his time as premier. (ABC News: Danielle Bonica)

Labor had dismissed expanding search powers under former leader Jacinta Allan.

But Mr Carroll has been keen to differentiate himself from his predecessor since taking the leadership in July, immediately indicating his government would focus on crime.

Jack Beasley's father Brett welcomed the Victorian government's change of heart on the legislation.

"It's about bloody time as far as I'm concerned. I've been pushing for Jack's Law to be introduced down there for some time now, so it's great news," he told 774 ABC Melbourne.

"Put the politics aside and let's focus on the community safety and that's what Jack's Law is all about. 

Belinda and Brett Beasley fought for the laws to be introduced in Queensland following their son's death. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)

"It's about giving police the powers that they need and that they want to be able to scan persons for carrying weapons around the streets.

Swinburne University criminologist Joel McGregor said he understood the appeal of applying Jack's Law to Victoria but doubted it would reduce knife crime.

"Potentially, wanding will take some knives out of the community," Dr McGregor said.

"But it's really not addressing these underlying drivers of violence within our community.

"[Young people] can carry knives for quite different reasons. Some can be around fear and protection, some can be around victimisation; other things can be around peer influence."

There is little data to suggest that wanding laws in Queensland have led to a reduction in violent crimes. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)

A 2022 Griffith University review into the initial 12-month trial of Jack's Law in Queensland found there was "no evidence" that wanding deterred knife carrying or led to a reduction in violent offending.

Despite those findings, the laws passed through Queensland's parliament in June 2025.

Queensland's Police Minister Dan Purdie said in July this year the measures were "saving lives across Queensland".

"Every weapon seized is a potential tragedy prevented," he said.

But Dr McGregor said enhanced early intervention and prevention programs would have a stronger impact on reducing violent crime in Victoria.

"It's about taking a public health approach to reducing violence, rather than thinking that we can just simply police our way out," he said.

Jesuit Social Services strategic project lead David Murray told 774 ABC Melbourne that while expanded stop-and-search powers were "intuitively appealing at a political level, they're not actually evidence-based".

"In a pre-election environment ... both sides I think are looking to simple ideas that appeal popularly," he said.

"Those of us in this business are getting a bit frustrated that the evidence-based strategies of early intervention and diversion and intensive focusing on risk aren't getting any carriage."

Currently in Victoria, officers can stop and search people at random only when police declare a "designated area".

This can include a shopping centre, sports precinct or entire suburbs for up to six months at a time.

Police do not need a warrant and there is no legal need to have any suspicion the person has a weapon or is engaging in any wrongdoing when a declaration is in place.

The Victorian government announced a blanket ban on machetes and long knives last year. (ABC News: Nicole Asher)

This year the Federal Court found that designating all of Melbourne CBD and its surrounds for six months was invalid and breached the human rights charter.

Experts and community groups also warn expanded stop-and-search powers can exacerbate racial profiling.

An analysis of data from July 2025 to June this year showed more than one in 10 people searched for weapons in Queensland identified as First Nations.

"We suspect and fear that it might be applied more to groups in the community that might stand out, young people obviously ... and then some people of particular cultural backgrounds might appear to be more at risk here," Mr Murray of Jesuit Social Services said.

Two years' worth of data obtained by Liberty Victoria revealed that just over 1 per cent of searches in designated areas resulted in any "objects or substances" being found.

First Nations people and those perceived to be African are more likely to be searched, according to data the Centre for Racial Profiling Network has previously found using freedom of information laws.

Victoria Police has always maintained the force has zero tolerance for racial profiling.