Sydney: The government of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia has announced its plan to introduce new legislation in Parliament, aimed at doubling the maximum penalties for specific knife-related crimes.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the proposed bill will transfer the offences of possessing and wielding a knife in public places or schools from NSW's Summary Offences Act to the Crimes Act, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
Under the new legislation, penalties for these offences will be doubled, increasing the maximum term of imprisonment from two years to four years.
Additionally, the maximum fine for knife possession will rise from A$2,200 ($1,497) to A$4,400, while the maximum fine for wielding a knife will increase to A$11,000.
NSW Attorney General Michael Daley emphasized, "The tougher maximum penalty will send a strong message about the seriousness of knife-related crimes. 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."
The introduction of this new bill aims to curb knife-related offenses and enhance public safety in New South Wales.
With inputs from agencies