Australia state to double penalties for knife crimes under new bill

Sydney, June 20 (IANS) The government of Australia's New South Wales (NSW) state on Tuesday announced that a new legislation would be introduced in Parliament to double the maximum penalty available for certain knife crimes.

According to a statement released on Tuesday, the bill will transfer the offences of having custody and wielding a knife in a public place or a school from NSW's Summary Offences Act to the Crimes Act, reports Xinhua news agency.

The new legislation will also see a doubling of the penalties for these offences, with their maximum term of imprisonment increasing from two years to four years.

Meanwhile, the maximum fine for possession of a knife will rise from A$2,200 ($1,497) to A$4,400 , and for wielding a knife to A$11,000.

"The tougher maximum penalty will send a strong message about the gravity of the knife-related crime," NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said.

"The government is acting to address understandable community concern given the high-profile tragic events involving knives that we have seen in NSW over the last couple of years," Daley added.