Victoria, Australia’s latest machete ban, following its historic gun ban, confirms what Second Amendment advocates have feared all along: weapon control is never about a single type of weapon – it’s a slippery slope toward removing all means of self-defense from law-abiding citizens.
Key Takeaways
- Victoria’s Labor Government will implement a total ban on machete sales starting Wednesday, May 28, 2025, with possession becoming illegal from September 1.
- Penalties are severe: up to 2 years imprisonment and fines up to 47,000 AUD for individuals, with retailers facing fines up to 200,000 AUD.
- Workers who legitimately use machetes, like farmers and field laborers, will be forced to apply for exemptions from the government.
- The ban follows the same incremental pattern of rights erosion seen with Australia’s gun confiscation, demonstrating how government control expands from one weapon type to another.
- This serves as a stark warning to Americans about the true agenda behind “common sense” weapon regulations.
From Guns to Knives: The Predictable Pattern of Weapons Bans
Australia’s infamous gun ban of 1996 was just the beginning of a systematic elimination of citizens’ ability to possess tools for self-defense. Almost three decades later, the Victorian government is now targeting machetes, defining them as knives with blades longer than 20 centimeters (excluding kitchen knives). This continued expansion of weapons restrictions perfectly illustrates the concerns that gun rights advocates have expressed for years – that “common sense gun control” inevitably leads to further restrictions on basic liberties. The pattern is unmistakable: first firearms, then knives, with each ban justified by isolated incidents of criminal activity rather than addressing underlying social issues.
Premier Jacinta Allan’s Labor Government claims this ban is in response to a violent mall brawl involving “youth gang members,” but critics point out that criminals will continue to obtain weapons illegally while law-abiding citizens lose access to tools with legitimate uses. The knee-jerk reaction mirrors the pattern seen worldwide, where governments exploit tragic or violent events to implement broader controls over the civilian population rather than addressing the root causes of crime and violence.
First, Australia banned guns. Now it’s machetes & knives. At this rate, Australia’s going to need a license for a butter knife.
After a recent machete attack in a Melbourne shopping center, the Australian government did what it always does—ban the tool instead of addressing the… pic.twitter.com/lYXpi7YTcj
— Colion Noir (@MrColionNoir) June 10, 2025
The Heavy Hand of Government Overreach
The machete ban’s implementation reveals the authoritarian nature of such restrictions. Starting at noon on May 28, retailers must immediately comply with the sale prohibition or face criminal charges. There will be no exemptions during the interim sale ban, affecting legitimate users like farmers, landscapers, and outdoor enthusiasts. The government’s approach is unapologetically heavy-handed, with retailers facing fines up to 200,000 AUD for non-compliance. This draconian enforcement perfectly demonstrates how quickly government power expands when citizens’ rights to self-defense are compromised.
“I hate these knives, and I will keep introducing as many laws as it takes to get them off our streets, out of our shops and out of our lives,” said Premier Jacinta Allan.
Allan’s statement above reveals the true mindset behind these restrictions – an open-ended commitment to “introducing as many laws as it takes” represents an unlimited appetite for control, not a measured response to public safety concerns. The government has already expanded knife search powers and toughened bail laws, with machete prohibition being just the latest step in an ongoing erosion of civil liberties. Even those who use machetes for legitimate purposes must now seek government permission through an exemption system that begins September 1.
The Slippery Slope is Real
For decades, gun control advocates have dismissed the “slippery slope” argument as paranoid fearmongering. Australia’s progression from gun bans to knife bans proves that the concern was always legitimate. What starts as “reasonable restrictions” invariably expands to broader prohibitions when government officials decide what citizens should be allowed to own. The ban particularly affects rural Australians and outdoor enthusiasts who use machetes as tools, not weapons, demonstrating how urban-focused regulations often harm those outside metropolitan areas.
“Machetes are farm implements. As such, most countries don’t classify them as weapons. Most overland travelers carry one in their vehicle, as they are useful tools when off-road, around camp, and for self-defense,” said Bryon Dorr, GearJunkie Motors Editor.
This reality check from Dorr highlights the fundamental disconnect between government regulators and everyday citizens who use these tools. The Australian government’s willingness to criminalize ordinary tools in the name of public safety should serve as a stark warning to Americans about the importance of defending the Second Amendment. Once a society accepts the premise that government should control access to means of self-defense, there is no logical stopping point. Today’s “reasonable restrictions” become tomorrow’s comprehensive bans, with citizens increasingly dependent on the state for protection. President Trump’s steadfast defense of the Second Amendment stands as a crucial bulwark against this creeping authoritarianism.
