I bought one of these a few months ago when they were on sale for $10 at Anaconda and now there's an article in The Age re the knife being deemed illegal and Anaconda being under investigation for selling it!

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/polic ... -p3na.html



The knife is basically a rip-off of a popular model sold by some of the major spearo brands (don't want to get em in trouble) but you'll all recognise it. It's low quality but I figured I'd probably lose it anyway at some stage.

I wonder what this means for the spearing community: will we have to hand them in and replace them with something else now? Obviously it's absolutely never carried out of the water but I don't want to get stopped on my way out for a dive and get fined for being in posession of an illegal weapon in my dive bag!

Reckon I'll call Anaconda and arrange a refund perhaps...or tell em they owe me an Omer Laser for my troubles!

The laser would be technically illegal too;

"Under the Control of Weapons Regulations 2000, daggers are classified as a prohibited weapon and defined as having a flat blade with cutting edges on both sides"

This makes pretty much all spearfishing knives illegal, but they have been for the last ten years and it hasn't really made a difference to us. It's just media hype because of the recent stabbings, once it settles no one will care again. Unless its a Crocodile Dundee edition!

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Taking the fight to the fish!

This isnt good!!!!!

You can become a member of Australasian Knife Collectors Club, for a small annual fee, legal for you to carry/collect daggers.


"Special conditions for Victorian Membership.
Australasian Knife Collectors (AKC) financial members are covered by the Club's exemption for the collecting of swords and double edged knives (daggers) in Victoria. Please read carefully to ensure you understand the extent of the exemption and your responsibilities."

"Extent of Dagger Exemption: This exemption, issued 5 May 1998, enables members to

manufacture, import, possess, carry, use, purchase and sell daggers to authorised persons whilst attending shows and exhibitions on an annual basis in the state of Victoria"

There's our workaround! Thanks wess.

EDIT: maybe not after reading your last edit

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Taking the fight to the fish!

i think this means your only covered if your going to or from some knife show/convention. don't think it would cover going fishing or anywhere else other than the above mentioned.

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Do you know what really makes me smile? Facial muscles.

Who's to say your not on your way to a show or exhibition, just taking a dip first , fair point though it could be a bit of a technicality.



Edit: Just emailed the president of A.K.C, to see what his opinion of it is, let you know.

What a bloody media beat up. So I take it that all knife crime in Vic is committed with double edged spearfishing knives, and not two for $5 knives from target.

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Civilisation ends at the waterline. Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top.

These knives just look cooler.

Email from me to A.K.C-

To whom it may concern,

I am wondering if a AKC membership (which i have) will cover me in Victoria, legally, when spearfishing, the dagger is in a cover with a locking system, strapped to my leg, I am hoping you can shed some light on the subject.

Thanks


Email from A.K.C to me-

Hello
The Club exemption for daggers in Victoria do allow for use - but please remember that becasue the knife is a prohitbed weapon it must be secured at all times and not be lent to others who do not have that cover.
Regards
Joan

Ah its all media hype Bullshit... I'm not worried about the cops coming up to me when i'm spearing and Booking me for an illegal weapon or whatever...

i bet its just coz a major camping chain were selling them for 15 bucks or what not.

I will continue to use mine without worrying.
Most hunting knives are illegal to carry in a public place but if it isnt concealed and you have enough gear with you to prove it's intended use (on your way to and from hunting areas) you will not be prosecuted and if you were it would probably be thrown out in court.
Its the same as carrying a rifle to and from a hunting ground, club, or gun shop.
Just don't leave it in your car or carry it on the train, you can be booked carrying a cricket bat around in your car if you don't have at least a ball as well.

Unfortunately it isn't the same as a hunting knife. Hunting knives (and spearguns) are classified as controlled weapons meaning they can be used for "legitimate purposes." Daggers are prohibited weapons and cannot be bought/used/possessed/etc without a specific excemption granted by the Chief commissioner.

It bewilders me that police resources are wasted on something as ludicrous as this. I would hope you would find that the vast majority of police are sensible enough to see past an arbitrary definition of an "illegal weapon" and treat them as a controlled weapon, but then who knows these days. Soon all we will be allowed to use fishing is safety scissors (as long as we don't run with them).

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That's where I saw the leprechaun. He tells me to burn things...

Knives of any kind with both edges sharpened (not serrated) have been illegal for ages...
I don't remember exactly how long ago it was. 10 or 15 years plus?
Pretty sure it was around the same time they cracked down on slingshots and butterfly knives.

Rich.