By Jane Luscombe
A review of knife laws has been ordered amid concerns at the rising number of fistfights that turn fatal.
High Court judges have been complaining for months that the current laws are not strong enough, and now Justice Minister Simon Power has decided to act.
Fishing shop owner Jon Terrell keeps his heavyweight pig hunting knives locked away, and is careful who he sells them to. Half a dozen have been bought over the years, all by hunters he already knew.
But Mr Terrell has no restrictions on who can buy his fishing knives.
“I leave it up to my guys – no one is going to argue with someone holding a knife on the counter,” he says.
Many of the hunting and fishing businesses 3 News spoke to said they wouldn’t sell a knife to anyone aged under 18. But when you can buy a pocket knife from a dairy, there is no shortage of weapons for those who want to be armed.
Though owning a knife is not illegal, carrying one around in public without good reason is.
Secondary schools 3 News spoke to today said it is rarely a problem during class time, but out in the community it is a different story. Statistics from New Zealand’s youth courts show the number of assaults involving an offensive weapons have more than doubled between 1995 and 2007.
Last week Justice Raynor Asher spoke out while imprisoning a 20-year-old man for murdering Aucklander Darryl Graydon. He wants more done to stop people carrying knives in public places.
Mr Power has ordered a review of the possession laws.
“What I’m particularly concerns about is a situation which may have historically been a common assault or the like. If you introduce an offensive weapon or a knife, it can often become a matter of life and death.”
The review will look at weather the penalties for possession are harsh enough and if having a reasonable excuse for possession is still acceptable.
3 News