As a knife collectors, there's nothing more frustrating than being treated like a criminal for your passion while actual thugs and terrorists wield blades with impunity. The recent stabbing at Melbourne's Moonee Ponds Central on July 14, 2025, where a man reportedly screamed "Allahu akbar" while attacking a random shopper, is a glaring example. Despite Australia's draconian knife laws, some of the toughest in the world, gang members and ideologically driven attackers keep spilling blood. These laws shackle law-abiding collectors like us, who cherish knives for craftsmanship or utility, while doing nothing to stop determined criminals. Let's look into why Australia's blade bans are a colossal failure, punishing the wrong people and leaving society vulnerable to gangs and terrorists.
The Moonee Ponds Stabbing: A Symptom of Failure
On July 14, 2025, chaos erupted outside Moonee Ponds Central when a man stabbed another in the neck and chest, shouting "Allahu akbar" before bystanders pinned him down, per Daily Mail Australia and 7News. The victim was rushed to Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the suspect, now in custody, faces charges. Victoria Police quickly downplayed any "ideological motive," a claim met with eye-rolls on X, where users like @PamelaGeller and @EndWokeness labelled it a terror attack, pointing to a pattern of authorities dodging the obvious. This wasn't a lone incident, Sydney's 2024 Bondi Junction massacre (six dead) and Wakeley church stabbing (four injured) show knives remain a go-to weapon for violence, despite bans.
For collectors, this is infuriating. We face heavy restrictions on owning, carrying, or even displaying our blades, yet the Moonee Ponds attacker used a knife, likely a common kitchen tool, to wreak havoc. Laws banning machetes, switchblades, and even pocket knives didn't stop him, nor did they deter the Bondi killer or Wakeley's teen assailant, who also yelled "Allahu akbar." Gangs and terrorists don't care about permits or "lawful excuses," they act regardless, leaving collectors to bear the brunt of misguided policies.
Australia's Knife Laws: A Heavy Hand on the Wrong Targets
Australia's knife laws are a collector's nightmare. In Victoria, carrying any knife without a "lawful excuse" (like work or sport, not self-defence) risks a $5,750 fine or a year in jail. The 2025 machete ban, classifying them as "controlled weapons," requires farmers or hunters to jump through bureaucratic hoops for permits. Queensland's "Jack's Law," sparked by the 2019 stabbing of Jack Beasley, lets police search anyone for weapons and bans knife sales to minors. New South Wales tightened rules post-Bondi, and Western Australia hiked penalties in 2025, per The Guardian. Even owning a zombie knife or balisong can land you in court.
These laws sound tough, but they're a paper tiger. The Conversation (2024) reports knives are still used in over 40% of homicides, with 2023-2024 seeing a 7.8% crime spike in Victoria, including a 10% rise in assaults, per Victoria Police. High-profile attacks, like Bondi's six deaths or Moonee Ponds, prove bans don't stop determined attackers. Why? Knives are everywhere, every kitchen drawer has one. A 2024 Policing Insight study found no clear evidence that bans reduce knife crime, as most stabbings happen in private settings, not public spaces where police searches occur. Meanwhile, collectors face scrutiny for owning a $500 Damascus steel blade, while a gang member can grab a $5 chef's knife and go on a rampage.
Why Laws Fail Against Gangs and Terrorists
The failure of Australia's knife laws boils down to three reasons, none of which involve collectors:
1.Criminals Ignore Laws: Gangs and terrorists, by definition, don't follow rules. The Moonee Ponds attacker, like the Bondi killer, didn't need a fancy switchblade. just a readily available knife. ABC News (2025) notes that 90% of knife crimes involve everyday blades, not banned weapons. Laws targeting collectors' prized possessions, like tactical folders or historical replicas, miss the mark when a $2 supermarket knife does the job.
2.Enforcement is a Joke: Police powers to search for weapons sound impressive, but they're rarely effective. The Age (2024) reports only 10% of knife offenses involve youths, and most occur in homes or private venues, not on streets where cops patrol. The Moonee Ponds attack happened in a busy shopping centre, yet no police were present to stop it, bystanders did the job. Collectors, meanwhile, face random checks at knife shows or when carrying tools for work, as X user @KnifeNerdAU gripes about "cops hassling us for no reason."
3.Cultural and Ideological Blindness: The "Allahu akbar" shouts in Moonee Ponds echo similar attacks, like Sydney's 2019 CBD stabbing by Mert Nay, who killed one woman while yelling the same phrase. The Global Terrorism Database lists six knife-based terror attacks in Australia from 1981 to 2020, all tied to "Jihadi-inspired extremism." Yet authorities often dodge labelling these as terrorism, citing "mental health" to avoid cultural backlash. This reluctance lets radicalized individuals slip through, while collectors face bans for owning blades as art or tools.
For knife enthusiasts, these laws are a slap in the face. Collecting is about appreciating craftsmanship, hand-forged blades, historical replicas, or functional tools, yet we're treated like potential criminals. In Victoria, carrying a pocket knife to a trade show could land you a fine, even if it's locked in a case. Queensland's laws ban "fantasy knives," vague enough to include a collector's Lord of the Rings replica. X user @AussieBlades fumes that "law-abiding knife nuts are screwed while gang kids run wild with machetes." The 2025 machete ban, meant to curb gang violence, now threatens collectors who own ceremonial or antique blades, forcing us to hide our passion or risk prosecution.
Worse, these laws don't make us safer. Gangs like Melbourne's Apex or Sydney's postcode crews, often tied to youth from migrant backgrounds, use knives in turf wars, as 9News reported in 2024. Terrorists, like the Moonee Ponds suspect, act on ideology, not because they own a switchblade. Banning collectors' knives won't stop a radicalised attacker from grabbing a kitchen cleaver, nor will it deter gang members who, per The Herald Sun (2025), increasingly use blades in public brawls. The real issue, cultural disintegration and lax enforcement, goes ignored while we're scapegoated.
If Australia doubles down on failed knife bans, the future is bleak:
More Attacks: Gangs and terrorists will keep using knives, as bans don't address their motives. Wikipedia lists 15 global mass stabbings since 2020, many ideologically driven, showing laws don't deter.
Erosion of Freedom: Collectors will face harsher restrictions, with X users like @OzFreedomFighter warning of a "nanny state" criminalising hobbies. NSW's proposed metal detector searches could turn knife shows into police raids.
Social Decay: Ignoring cultural factors, like unassimilated migrant communities or gang culture, will fuel more violence. @SenatorBabet's post on Melbourne's "woke wasteland" links unchecked migration to rising crime, a view gaining traction.
Public Distrust: When police dismiss attacks as "not ideological," as in Moonee Ponds, trust erodes. @Righteousdudett's X rant calls this "gaslighting," pushing people toward vigilante solutions.
A Pro-Knife Solution
To fix this mess without punishing collectors:
Focus on Criminals, Not Collectors: Exempt hobbyists with clean records from bans, as New Zealand does for collectors' permits. Target gang members and radicalized individuals with intelligence-led policing.
Boost Enforcement: Increase police patrols in hotspots like shopping centres, not just knife shows. Trial paid knife amnesties, like Vince Hurley's $10-per-blade idea (Policing Insight, 2024).
Address Root Causes: Tackle gang culture through youth programs and cultural integration, not just metal detectors. Acknowledge ideological motives in attacks to rebuild trust.
Protect Our Rights: Recognize knives as tools and art, not just weapons. Allow collectors to carry or display blades with clear exemptions, as Reddit knife communities demand.
In conclusion, Australia's knife laws are a masterclass in futility. The Moonee Ponds stabbing, with its "Allahu akbar" cries, joins a string of attacks proving that bans don't stop gangs or terrorists, they just punish collectors like us. While we're hassled for owning a $200 Cold Steel folding knife, criminals grab kitchen blades and act with impunity. Enforcement is weak, cultural issues are ignored, and the real drivers of violence, gangs, radicalism, and social breakdown, go unchecked. It's time to stop scapegoating knife enthusiasts and start targeting the actual threats. Our passion for blades shouldn't make us criminals, and Australia's streets deserve better than failed laws.