Police officers in South Australia will now be able to use handheld metal detectors to check shoppers for weapons at eight of Adelaide’s busiest suburban shopping centres. The move follows new laws introduced by the Malinauskas Government aimed at reducing knife crime and improving community safety.
The powers, which came into effect today, apply at Marion, Elizabeth, Arndale, Burnside Village, Hollywood Plaza, Parabanks, West Lakes and Munno Para shopping centres. Police can also direct individuals deemed a risk to public safety to leave the premises for 24 hours. Anyone who ignores such an order faces a maximum fine of $1250.
Authorities stress that while South Australia has not seen the levels of knife-related violence experienced in other states, recent incidents at shopping centres have raised concerns. Last year Westfield Marion went into lockdown after a brawl involving teenagers, during which police seized batons. In a separate incident, an 18-year-old man was stabbed during a fight at Elizabeth Shopping Centre, where a security guard was also attacked at the adjoining transport hub.
The declaration of these centres as special search zones is part of a broader package of reforms that the State Government says are the toughest in the country. Alongside the new police powers, machetes and swords have been added to the list of prohibited weapons, while knives can no longer be sold to anyone under 18. Supplying a knife to a child suspected of intending to use it unlawfully has also been made a criminal offence.
The laws provide for other public places to be declared in future, including transport hubs and public events, if the Police Commissioner is satisfied that additional search powers are necessary and likely to deter or detect offences. Updates will be published on the SA Police website and in the Government Gazette.
Penalties under the new regime are steep. Carrying an offensive weapon can attract fines of up to $2500 or six months in prison, while possessing a prohibited weapon can result in fines of up to $20,000 or two years behind bars.
Attorney-General Kyam Maher said the reforms were aimed at equipping police to deal with knife crime before it escalates. “These measures are all about allowing SA Police to better protect the community and being able to identify any dangerous weapons before an incident unfolds,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner Narelle Kameniar welcomed the powers, saying they will give officers an extra tool to keep shopping centres safe. “These laws will give police more tools to prevent crime and remove dangerous weapons from circulation by conducting searches on any person or their property,” she said.
The Government maintains that the measures are a proactive response to ensure South Australians can feel safe in public spaces, while critics are likely to question whether broader stop-and-search powers strike the right balance between security and individual freedoms.
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