Politics‘Anywhere, anytime’: Victoria police to gain random stop-and-search powers under Labor backflip

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll says a re-elected Labor government will give police and protective services officers power to randomly stop and search people for knives with handheld metal detectors, adopting Queensland’s Jack’s Law. Criminologists and human rights advocates say there is little evidence the policy reduces violence and warn it could enable unchecked targeting of marginalised groups.

VictoriaJack's Lawpolice powersknife crime

TThe Guardian★★★☆☆2026-09-16 05:03Original