Two boys, aged 15 and 12, were fatally stabbed in the Melbourne suburb of Cobblebank on Saturday night, prompting anger from some Victorians who say the state's recently introduced machete ban and disposal amnesty have not done enough to halt knife violence.
Victoria Police said the pair were walking home from a local basketball stadium when they were set upon by a trio armed with machetes and long-bladed knives. Both victims suffered critical injuries and died a short distance from each other. Police have said the attack is likely a case of "mistaken identity" and an investigation is under way.
Family members and local residents reacted to the deaths with shock. Elbino Akueng, the father of 15-year-old Dau Akueng, rejected early suggestions of gang involvement, saying his son "is a basketball player, not a criminal." He told the Herald Sun he had asked police for answers and urged authorities to deliver justice for his son.
The stabbings occurred about a week after the Victorian government fast-tracked an interim ban on the sale of machetes and introduced a three-month amnesty allowing people to hand in long-bladed weapons without penalty. More than 40 secure disposal bins have been installed at police stations across the state to facilitate the amnesty, which was announced in response to earlier violent incidents, including a fight at Melbourne's Northland Shopping Centre.
Under the new state rules it is illegal to own, use, carry, transport or sell certain long-bladed knives without an exemption or valid approval. Convictions under provisions of the law can carry penalties of up to two years in jail or fines exceeding A$47,000. Police Minister Anthony Carbines urged Victorians to hand in machetes, saying the move was part of an effort "to dry up the supply of machetes in our community."
The policy change has not prevented a sharp public backlash on social media, where some users called the measures ineffective and criticised the government for what they described as a symbolic response. One social media user wrote that the machete ban had benefited the state government and its contractors who received funding to install disposal bins, while another wrote, "Two more kids dead and all you do is place boxes outside police stations." Those posts reflect a wider frustration among some residents who say more action is needed to reduce weapon availability and youth violence.
Authorities and government officials have pointed to enforcement and seizure statistics to argue the laws are having an effect. Victoria reported seizing 14,805 edged weapons in 2024, with a further 8,900 confiscated between January and July this year. Since May, a dedicated task force has completed 573 in-store and online inspections and about 2,400 market-stall inspections, with police saying they found a high level of compliance with the sales ban.
The state has allowed exemptions for agricultural workers who legitimately require machetes for their jobs and for items with genuine traditional, historical or cultural significance. Premier Jacinta Allan has urged parents to hand in blades belonging to children, noting that young people make up a substantial share of knife-crime offenders in Victoria.
Police have not released the names of the younger victim beyond the family statement, and detectives are continuing forensic inquiries and witness interviews. The matter remains under active investigation. Media outlets have sought comment from Premier Allan and other state officials; the Daily Mail reported it had contacted the premier for comment.
The Cobblebank killings add to a series of recent violent incidents in Victoria that prompted lawmakers to introduce some of the strictest machete and long-knife restrictions in Australia, following similar moves in other states. Authorities say they will continue to pursue both supply-side measures, such as inspections and amnesties, and enforcement actions as investigators attempt to determine motive and identify those responsible for the killings.