Australia has very strict laws about what weapons it allows its people to own and to carry. Is a multi tool considered a weapon? Is it legal to carry a multi tool? One of the weapons covered by Australia’s laws are knives which means if your multi-tool has a knife, you better know what the law says about you having one.
The Simple Answer
Multi-tools are legal to own in Australia but they aren’t legal to carry in public all the time. You need to have a good reason for carrying a multi-tool and self-defense isn’t one. Being an electrician on a job is, just don’t leave it clipped onto your belt when you go to a bar for a beer after work.
There aren’t specific laws in Australia about owning and carrying multi-tools. The laws are about knives and what you can and can’t own and carry. If you decide you don’t want to worry about the knife laws because you don’t really need a knife on your multi-tool, your best choice for a multi-tool without a blade is my strong favorite – the Gerber MP600 Multi-Plier Bladeless. Or choose from any of these 5 No Knife multi-tools.
Although multi-tools are as their name suggests – tools – they do of course usually have one or more knives. That means they are covered under any Federal or State knife laws. Hey, if your multi-tool doesn’t have a knife, you can own and carry it anywhere you like – including on a plane!
Unfortunately, the laws can be different in each State. So if you’re going to take your multi-tool when you go interstate on holiday or for work, you should know what the knife laws are when you get there.
The parts of the laws that I think us Multi-Tool MacGyvers really need to know are the parts that cover whether you can own a multi-tool, carry a multi-tool and whether you can be searched without a warrant. So let’s look at what each state law says. And I’ve got to give you a warning. I’m not giving you legal advice, I’m not a lawyer, so if you’re concerned about your multi-tool, you should get some legal advice from a lawyer.
Federal Knife Laws
Federal knife laws don’t ban or make it illegal to own or carry any current multi-tool design. What they do ban are knives like flick knives or automatic knives. These are the type of knives that you push a button and the blade is propelled out of the handle or that you just need to flick your wrist and the knife extends into position.
Multi-tools are perfectly legal to own which makes sense because they are freely available at a number of stores.
Multi-Tool Laws by State
New South Wales
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in NSW.
Carry – if you want to carry a multi-tool in public, you need to have a “reasonable excuse” for doing so and you have to prove you have a reasonable excuse. If you say you’re carrying a multi-tool for self-defense, that’s not going to cut it (excuse the pun).
There are some reasonable excuses that will cut it. For example, you have your multi-tool with you and you need it to eat or drink, you’re taking part in some sort of legal entertainment, recreation or sport.
Say you’re out camping or hiking – you would have a very good reason to be carrying your multi-tool and you would also be OK if you’re carrying it on your way to or from a camping trip. If you’ve dropped by your mate’s cricket match on the way to go camping but your multi-tool is clipped to your belt, that might be a harder excuse to sell.
Search – the NSW police can search you if they have reasonable grounds or reasonable suspicions. That’s a very broad law that my non-lawyer thinking means the police could use almost any reason to search you for weapons.
Victoria
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in Victoria.
Carry – you need a ‘lawful excuse’ to carry a multi-tool in Victoria. The same goes for Swiss Army knives and other sharp objects like a box cutter. The most likely lawful excuses would be if you need it for your work or you need it for your sport or recreation.
Where you could easily get caught out is if you take a side track on your way to or from your lawful excuse. Your wife calls you while you’re on your way home from your carpenter’s job and asks you to pick up your daughter from basketball practice. You get there and stand around on the sidelines waiting for practice to finish not realizing you left your multi-tool hooked to your belt. The police and the public don’t usually like you having any shape objects around schools in particular so best to get into the habit of leaving your multi-tool in the glovebox.
It’s not a lawful excuse if you want to carry your multi-tool to defend yourself or anyone else.
Search – the police can search you at any time without a warrant if they reasonably suspect you are illegally carrying a weapon. There isn’t a definition of what “reasonably suspect” means so, in theory, that means to me they can search you when they want. One reason you could get searched for example is if you are somewhere and a fight breaks out. Even if you aren’t directly involved in it, you could be searched because you’re around a dangerous situation.
Queensland
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in Queensland.
Carry – Like the laws in NSW and Victoria, you can’t carry a knife in public unless you have a “reasonable excuse”. The law gives some examples of a reasonable excuse as doing primary production work (like working on a farm I guess), as part of being scout in your scout uniform (it doesn’t say the maximum age you can be), while you’re fishing or cutting food for a picnic in the park.
You can basically carry a multi-tool anytime if you’re using it for a lawful activity, duty or employment. Or if you are taking part in entertainment, recreation or sport. Don’t forget, if you’re not doing anything that falls into those categories, you’re breaking the law.
If you don’t have a reasonable excuse, the closest you get to being able to carry your multi-tool in public is the law allows you to carry a pen knife or a swiss army knife to do utility tasks with it. But that’s not going to make it OK to carry most multi-tools because the difference is those pen knives and swiss army knives don’t lock into position. Most multi-tool knives do lock so you’re back to square one.
Search – the police can search you if they reasonably suspect that you possess an unlawful knife. There’s no definition of “reasonably suspect” so this opens it up to interpretation by the police at the time they see you.
South Australia
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in South Australia
Carry – it’s illegal to carry a knife in public. It’s also illegal to visibly use or carry an offensive weapon (like a knife) in a public place that is likely to cause someone to fear for their personal safety. It’s also illegal to carry an offensive weapon or to possess a housebreaking implement without a lawful excuse.
What all this means is that South Australia has more reasons than some other states to make it illegal for you to carry a multi-tool. A multi-tool could be classed as an offensive weapon or a housebreaking implement so you need to make sure you have a “lawful excuse”. Some examples of a lawful excuse would be if you need it for your job or your recreational activity. And you could only argue that excuse if you were engaged in those activities at the time. If you’ve veered off to do something else on the way, don’t carry your multi-tool with you.
Search – the South Australian police can search you at any time using a metal detector if they have a reasonable belief you are carrying a concealed weapon. Laws use terms like “reasonable belief” to be vague and it means it could happen to anyone.
Western Australia
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in Western Australia.
Carry – you need to have a “lawful excuse” or have “reasonable grounds” to carry your multi-tool in public. It’s up to you to convince the police that you have a lawful excuse or have reasonable grounds to carry your multi-tool. If you’re carrying it specifically to do your job or you’re in the bush camping, you have a good chance of proving why you’re carrying it. But if you’re at your kid’s football game and you get into an altercation with the referee you could get arrested.
It’s also illegal to carry your multi-tool in a way that someone could expect you to injure or disable them or even fear that you could do that.
Search – the West Australian police can search you without a warrant if they believe it’s in the interest of public safety. So I guess if they suspect you are carrying a knife that you may be intending to harm someone with, they can search you and take away your multi-tool.
Tasmania
Own – it is legal to own a multi-tool in Tasmania.
Carry – you need to have a legitimate reason to carry your multi-tool in public. If you just want to have it with you in case you spot a loose screw, that’s going to get you out of trouble with the law. But if you’re carrying it as part of your camping, fishing or hunting experience or for work, that’s a lawful activity and OK. As usual, the burden is on you to prove to the police or to a court that you have a legitimate excuse.
Search – the police can’t search you without a warrant or taking you into custody if they suspect you are carrying a knife. They can if they suspect you are carrying a firearm but not a knife.
Real Life Tips for Carrying your Multi-Tool in Public
All Australian States have laws about carrying a multi-tool in public. That’s the law and you’re going to be a fully law-abiding citizen right? Right? As I’ve said already, I’m not a lawyer but I do live in a large Australian city and I carry my multi-tool with me every day. I’m living the multi-tool life! If you’re anything like me, you just quietly go about your business in public and you don’t cause any trouble or draw any attention to yourself.
You know it’s against the law in many States to wave your multi-tool knife around or threaten anyone with it. That’s a sure-fire way to get yourself arrested so you don’t ever do it. Your multi-tool is kept out of sight unless you have to use it and then you do so discreetly. You do have some rules for yourself though – you never take it onto school grounds, into a court or government building or when you’re out drinking.
If you act this way, there’s no reason why the police would give you a second glance. If they did have a reason to talk to you and maybe even search you, you would be polite and accommodating. You would tell the police that you are carrying a multi-tool and you would have your reasonable excuse ready for when you’re asked why you’re carrying it in public.
There are many Australian users who report they live in big cities or in small towns in the country who act this way, carry their multi-tool in public and have never had a problem. It doesn’t mean YOU won’t have a problem. If you’re not obeying the law, you could get yourself in trouble. If you can’t prove you have a good reason to carry a multi-tool in public, you could be charged. It’s your decision and your multi-tool life. Choose wisely…
Knife Crime on the increase in Australia
The reason why Australia has gotten tough on carrying knives in public is because knife crime is on the increase. Back in the old days – the year 2000 – 30% of homicides were caused by knives and sharp objects. Fast forward to 2008 and now 43% of homicides involve knives and other sharp objects.
About half of the people who carry a knife do it because they want to protect themselves or others. I suspect that’s not the main reason we carry a multi-tool because we’re more interested in the utility a multi-tool gives us.