You can own any folding knife or fixed blade knife that is NOT on the prohibited gun list (or Class M weapons for Queensland residents) in your state. If there is no definition of the state you live in, it does NOT necessarily mean that the knife is legal. We will discuss this situation later. The law states that you cannot carry, possess or use any weapon, including weapons, knives and other weapons and “dangerous objects” to injure or defend people. The New South Wales Weapons Act prohibits any person from carrying a prohibited weapon as defined in Schedule 1, including a folding knife with a blade that opens automatically by gravity or centrifugal force, or by pressure that applies to a button, spring or device attached to the handle of the knife. The Schedule lists other items classified as “prohibited weapons” in New South Wales. If the Swiss Army knife you have falls under the designation of a “prohibited weapon”, then it is illegal. Otherwise, it`s legal. This results in severe criminal penalties. If the police believe you are carrying a firearm illegally, they can search you and your car without a warrant. If they find a weapon, they can take it away from you.
What can I legally take with me to defend myself in Australia? Search – The police can search you at any time without a search warrant if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that you are illegally carrying a weapon. There`s no definition of what “reasonably suspicious” means, so theoretically, that means to me that they can search you whenever they want. One of the reasons you might be searched, for example, is if you`re somewhere and an argument breaks out. Even if you are not directly involved, you could be searched because you are in a dangerous situation. Knives that look like vaginal knives are Karambits, Opionelle and the stiletto knife. Possession of a prohibited weapon for self-defence is unlawful under section 11 of the Weapons Act 1998. One of the exceptions is bulletproof vests, which can be legally used for self-defence, although they are considered a prohibited weapon in New South Wales. “Dangerous objects” are another type of weapon in Victoria and include any legal item such as a kitchen knife that becomes dangerous when used as a weapon. These may be, for example, golf clubs or hammer clubs. It is illegal to transport these items in public with the intention of using them as a weapon. This carries sentences of up to 6 months in prison (12 months in prison if taken to or near a licensed restaurant selling alcohol). You may legally wear these items and use them for their intended lawful purposes (for lawful excuse).
It is illegal to possess these items or use them for self-defense. Australia has very strict gun laws that its citizens allow to own and carry. Is a multi-tool considered a weapon? Is it legal to carry a multitool? One of the weapons covered by Australian laws is knives, which means that if your multi-tool has a knife, you know better what the law says about having one. Federal knife laws do not prohibit or make it illegal to possess or carry a current multi-tool model. What they prohibit are knives such as patch knives or automatic knives. These are the types of knives where you press a button and the blade is pushed out of the handle or you simply have to move with your wrist and the knife gets into position. You may think that the laws on knife regulation in Australia are strict, but you should know that it is necessary. Nearly a quarter of homicides and assaults in the last decade have been committed with a knife. Australia is strict on its regulations with knives to be able to protect its citizens. These laws exist to protect us at the end of the day. If for some reason you really need a knife with you, you can contact a lawyer or inquire about your state`s law.
If you don`t have a reasonable excuse, the closest thing to your multitool in public is to carry a pocket knife or Swiss Army knife to make utensils. But this will not carry most of the multi-tools because the difference is that these pen knives and these Swiss army knives are not in position. Most multi-tool knives lock so you`re back to square one. According to the Victoria Legal Aid website: “The law states that you cannot carry, possess or use a weapon to injure or defend people. If the police believe you are carrying a firearm illegally, they can search you and your car without a warrant. If they find a gun, they can take it away from you. Multi-tools are legal in Australia, but it`s not legal to wear them in public all the time. You must have a good reason to wear a multi-tool, and self-defense is not one of them. Being an electrician is a job, but don`t leave it strapped to your belt when you go to a bar after work for a beer. Western Australia is the only place in Australia where pepper spray can be transported in self-defence if you have reasonable grounds for arrest or a lawful excuse.