The Minns Labor Government is backing the Jack Beasley Foundation to take its knife crime prevention program to 28 schools across metropolitan and regional NSW.
The statewide tour begins on August 31 and is supported by a $37,000 government grant for the foundation’s One Moment program.
Brett and Belinda Beasley, whose son Jack was fatally stabbed in Queensland in 2019, will deliver the program alongside officers from the NSW Police Force Youth Command.
Jack was just 17 years old when he was killed during a night out with friends. Through the school presentations, his parents will speak directly to students about the impact of his death on their family, his friends and the wider community.
Police youth officers will also talk to students about NSW knife laws, penalties and the consequences of carrying a weapon.
The government says the education campaign is part of a broader response to knife crime, alongside tougher laws and direct police enforcement.
Earlier this month, the Minns Government introduced legislation to make police knife-wanding powers permanent. The proposed changes would extend wanding operations from 12 hours to 24 hours, lower the threshold for making declarations and expand the powers to major entertainment venues.
If passed, the laws will strengthen existing NSW Police powers. Officers can already search or use a wand anywhere and at any time if they have reasonable grounds to do so.
Since April 2023, NSW Police have seized more than 15,000 knives from public places.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said the government was backing the Beasley family’s work with funding, police support and stronger laws.
She said police did not need to wait for a formal wanding operation to act, and could stop and search people anywhere if there were reasonable grounds.
“Strong laws matter. Police enforcement matters. But reaching young people before they ever pick up a knife could save a life,” Catley said.