The Victorian Government says its machete amnesty is underpinned by the local manufacturing and installation of heavy-duty disposal bins, which have helped Victorians surrender more than 1,300 dangerous weapons in the program’s first two weeks.
Acting Premier Ben Carroll and Minister for Police Anthony Carbines visited Richmond Police Station to provide an update on the amnesty, which has been running since 1 September, and to encourage residents to dispose of prohibited weapons before the program ends.
Between 1 and 12 September, 1,362 machetes and knives were surrendered through the amnesty. This is in addition to 3,400 machetes that major retailers have taken off shelves and handed in to authorities.
“Our first duty is to keep the community safe, and there will be zero tolerance for illegal machetes on our streets,” Carroll said. “These weapons have no place in our community – Victorians are doing the right thing by dumping them before they face the harsh penalties.”
The amnesty runs until 30 November 2025, with disposal bins located at 45 police stations across Victoria.
The government said the bins were manufactured in consultation with Victoria Police and security experts to ensure durability and safety, and are monitored at police stations operating 24/7.
The amnesty forms part of the broader ban on machetes, which came into effect on 1 September. From that date, owning, carrying, using, buying or selling a machete without approval became an offence punishable by up to two years in prison or a fine exceeding $47,000.
Exemptions remain in place for agricultural workers and for machetes with traditional, cultural or historical significance.
Minister for Police Anthony Carbines said the initiative was part of a wider crackdown on knife-related crime.
“Knife crime has devastating consequences – that’s why we’re drying up the supply of these dangerous weapons with our nation-leading ban and expanded stop and search powers to get them off the streets for good,” Mr Carbines said.
“There are ten weeks left of the amnesty. If you still have machetes, drop them off at a bin to avoid harsh penalties including jail time,” he added.
The government said investment during the amnesty covers the manufacturing and installation of bins, collection and safe disposal of surrendered weapons, public awareness campaigns, and management of exemption requests.
The awareness campaign has been rolled out in 16 languages across newspapers, radio, social media, streaming platforms and digital displays to ensure broad community engagement.
The Victorian Government said that so far this year, Victoria Police have seized a record 10,800 dangerous weapons through OMNI operations, supported by expanded stop-and-search powers.
More details about the amnesty, including bin locations and exemption criteria, are available at vic.gov.au/machete-amnesty.
