Victoria is rolling out a Machete Amnesty from September 1 to November 30, 2025. During this period, more than 40 “safe disposal” machete bins will be installed at police stations across metropolitan and regional Victoria to allow people to hand in machetes, no questions asked, no penalties, as part of the Machete Ban before a statewide ban takes effect.
From September onward, owning, carrying, buying, selling, or using a machete without a valid exemption can land you in up to 2 years’ jail or hit you with a fine of over $47,000 AUD.
The Controversy: A $13 Million Price Tag
Let’s talk numbers. The cost? A whopping $13 million for all 40 bins—$325,000 per bin. That’s steep for a steel box with a concrete base you only use for three months.
Critics are furious and online outrage is mounting. Some call it political theatrics, a taxpayer money sinkhole, or just plain absurd.
“A steel fabricator could have manufactured all 40 of these bins for $325,000 … the money went somewhere, but where?”
What Are These Machete Bins, Actually?
They’re not flimsy. Each bin is approximately 900 mm by 1,200 mm, built from heavy-duty reinforced steel, anchored with a 70 mm concrete base, and designed to be secure and removable.
There’s also public awareness and legal messaging around them: “Put your machete in this bin, or you could go to jail.”
Who’s Justifying This Spend?
Victorian Government & Leadership
- Premier Jacinta Allan insists: “These knives destroy lives, so we’re taking them off the streets.”
- Police Minister Anthony Carbines backs the move, highlighting support for Victoria Police and public safety.
Victoria Police & Crime Stats
- Authorities are seizing record numbers of illegal weapons—averaging 44 knives a day.
- Nearly 15,000 machetes and dangerous knives were confiscated last year, and 23 young men (25 and under) have died from stabbings since 2020.
Political Coordination & Support
-
The Opposition urged to fast-track the ban, citing safety urgency, but the government pressed ahead with a measured rollout, emphasizing the need for secure disposal to avoid “random drop-offs.”
What’s the Real Value Here?
|
Stakeholder |
What They Might Say |
|---|---|
|
Government |
Builds visible crime-prevention infrastructure, portrays toughness on knife crime. |
|
Police |
Gains safer disposal options and stronger legal leverage. |
|
Community |
Offers easy way to comply without penalty … goodbye machetes, hello peace of mind. |
But is $325k per bin reasonable?
Tough to justify based purely on materials. Yet complex procurement, security specifications, logistics, manufacturing-to-installation costs, not to mention public messaging, can inflate costs. Still, critics argue this should have been more economical.
Machete Bins: Public Safety or Political Theatre?
The Victorian Government has framed the machete ban and disposal bins as a bold public safety measure, spearheaded by Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines. Their messaging is simple: “These knives destroy lives—so we’re taking them off the streets.”
But the Opposition isn’t letting this slide. They argue the ban should have been implemented faster, and the $13 million price tag is out of step with fiscal responsibility. Shadow Police Minister Brad Battin has suggested the bins are a symbol of “policy by photo-op” rather than practical action. Some MPs are calling for an independent audit of procurement costs, questioning how steel bins—quoted by fabricators at under $10,000 each—blew out to $325,000 apiece.
This issue is fast becoming a political wedge: tough on crime vs. tough on spending. And in an election climate where cost-of-living pressures dominate, that wedge could bite.
Why Are These Machete Bins So Expensive?
On paper, a machete bin doesn’t sound complicated—but the logistics are more complex than just dropping a steel box outside a cop shop. Each bin:
- Weighs over 200kg, with reinforced steel walls and tamper-proof design.
- Has a 70mm concrete base, engineered to prevent removal or sabotage.
- Features secure locking mechanisms so only Victoria Police can empty them.
- Is part of a short-term rollout (September–November 2025) that requires rapid design, build, delivery, installation, monitoring, and removal.
- Is coupled with public safety campaigns (posters, billboards, community outreach) and legal prep around enforcement.f
Even so, critics argue that much of the cost comes not from the bins themselves but from bureaucratic layers, government contracts, and “safety theatre” add-ons.
Public Response is Split
Outrage over waste:“We’re struggling to pay power bills, and they’re spending $325,000 per bin? That’s obscene.”
Support for safety:“My son was stabbed in a brawl. If this saves even one life, it’s worth it.”
Scepticism about effectiveness:“Do you really think gang members are walking up to a police station to drop their machete in a bin?”
On social media, the bins have been memed relentlessly. Dubbed “$325k rubbish bins” or “the Gucci of steel boxes.” Yet in affected suburbs like Broadmeadows and Dandenong, areas experiencing high youth knife crime, the bins are seen by some as a symbol of visible government action.
Where It Leaves Victorians
- Short-term optics: The bins give the government a visual, easy-to-digest policy story: machetes out, safety in.
- Long-term questions: Will this move actually reduce knife crime? Or will it fade after November, with little measurable impact but a $13m bill?
- Political stakes: If knife crime drops, Allan’s government will claim victory. If not, critics will weaponise the “$325k per bin” headline as another case of government waste.
But is $325k per bin reasonable?
Tough to justify based purely on materials. Yet complex procurement, security specifications, logistics, manufacturing-to-installation costs, not to mention public messaging, can inflate costs. Still, critics argue this should have been more economical.
Final Thoughts
Yes, Victoria’s machete bins cost an eye-watering sum. Yes, public backlash is fierce. But dig deeper and there’s a real safety story: crime is climbing, weapons are flooding streets, and this is the government’s visible answer.
Maybe it’s theatre, but one that’s standing tall in steel, plastered with bold messages like “These knives destroy lives.” Whether the cost becomes a cautionary tale or a necessary defense depends on how well these bins help stanch the flow of weapons, and if future spending is more transparent.
