[TheForge] News for swordmakers

[Shannell Sugrue]

Note that its only in Victoria, which is the State Melbourne is in, not the
whole of Australia.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Fertner" <rfertner@cox.net>
To: <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2004 11:28 PM
Subject: [TheForge] News for swordmakers


> This is from Australia:
> Sword ban after attacks
> By Misha Ketchell
> March 9, 2004
> http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/08/1078594297517.html
>
> Swords will come under tough new controls from July as the State
> Government cracks down on violence.
>
> Anyone with a sword in their home will have three options: sell
> it to a licensed dealer, hand it in to police, or apply to police
> for permission to keep it as a collector.
>
> Those seeking permission to keep a sword will face tough rules
> on storage to ensure swords do not fall into the wrong hands.
>
> The move to toughen laws on swords follows a series of violent
> incidents involving the weapons, including a gang fight in the
> Fitzroy Gardens last week in which a man's hand was chopped off.
>
> The new regulations define a sword as "a cutting or thrusting
> weapon with a long blade, a hilt, and one or two sharp edges"
> but do not specify length. Swords are currently on a list of
> controlled weapons, along with knives, machetes and other
> implements that have a legitimate use.
>
> Under the new rules, swords will be shifted to a list of
> prohibited weapons, such as ninja stars and nunchukkas.
>
> Police Minister Andre Haermeyer said yesterday anyone who
> illegally owned a sword would face fines of up to $12,000
> or six months' jail. The maximum penalty for having a
> "controlled weapon" is $6000 and six months' jail.
>
> Samurai swords were still freely on sale at the South Melbourne
> market at the weekend.
>
> Mr Haermeyer said yesterday that once the new regulations came
> into effect vendors would be allowed to sell swords only to
> legitimate collectors.
>
> Sword sellers would also have to keep a register of people who
> bought swords and police would be able to inspect it, he said.
>
> Mr Haermeyer said the new rules would help police overcome a
> culture of young people arming themselves with swords.
>
> "It is clear that the vast majority of Victorians back the push
> to keep swords off the streets," he said.
>
> "If you're a collector you wouldn't be able to carry these things
> around with you. There will be very strict conditions."
>
> Last year the Government gave police 480 metal detectors and
> introduced new powers to enable them to search people suspected
> of carrying concealed weapons.
>
> Opposition police spokesman Kim Wells said the new rules were
> welcome.
>
> "The gang mentality of owning swords has to be cleaned up,"
> Mr Wells said.
>
> "It is totally unacceptable that the gangs in Melbourne have
> an unlimited supply of swords."
>
> Mr Haermeyer said that anyone with a legitimate reason to own
> a sword would be exempt from the prohibition. He said highland
> dancers, who tend to use blunt swords, would have no trouble
> obtaining permission to keep their swords.
>
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