NSW Australia law prohibits flashlights

Ok, many would be familiar with the tight-arsed firearms laws in Australia. In addition to being illegal the carrying of knives, OC sprays or slingshots, I came across this state law, which seems to ban the tactical use of flashlights:

WEAPONS PROHIBITION ACT 1998 - SCHEDULE 1: Prohibited weapons

Section 4(2:Misc Weapons)
(24) Any acoustic or light-emitting anti-personnel device that is designed to cause permanent or temporary incapacity or to otherwise disorientate persons.

All my interests/hobbies it seems are illegal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Yeah well... In Victoria, laser pointers greater than 1mw are illegal too.

There was a thread about that, lemme see if I can dig it up.

[EDIT] - Well, can't find it. But here's the regulation:

(ha) Hand-held battery-operated articles commonly known as "laser pointers" designed or adapted to emit a laser beam with an accessible emission limit of greater than 1 mW;


From the Prescribed weapons section of the Control of Weapons Regulations

-YC

WOW, and I thought our UK laws were harsh /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Soon it will be illegal to look at someone the wrong way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Onyx said:
Section 4(2:Misc Weapons)
(24) Any acoustic or light-emitting anti-personnel device that is designed to cause permanent or temporary incapacity or to otherwise disorientate persons.

[/ QUOTE ]
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Sounds more like a light emitted by a HID or Xenon strobe type device, however in a court of law if it were brought up that say SureFire advertises their torches as "incapacitating"...then I guess you can't have anything over how many lumens? Heck almost any light aimed at one's eyes in the dark can "temporarily incapacitate".

I will do all I can to support you, meanwhile I'll be the "volunteer" to have you send all of your "incapacitating torches" to me. It's the least I can do! I'll email you my address...just want to keep you out of trouble! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I'll...er...sort them. Yup, send them here on their way to Sigman and I'll make sure he doesn't get any with half dead batteries or anything like that... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Onyx said:
Section 4(2:Misc Weapons)
(24) Any acoustic or light-emitting anti-personnel device that is designed to cause permanent or temporary incapacity or to otherwise disorientate persons.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know anything of Australian law, but it appears that a court decision would be based on engineering intentions in the designing of the light. Marketing propaganda isn't part of the design process. That may not be enough to keep from getting arrested or having your light confiscated, but it might stop a conviction.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

i would pay attention to that law about as much as i would any laws that would restrict my personal safety.

Hey Onyx!!!

Check your email and get back to me!!!

[ QUOTE ]
tkl said:
i would pay attention to that law about as much as i would any laws that would restrict my personal safety.

[/ QUOTE ]

ditto

I was told a couple of years back from a friend in the policeforce. You can't get into trouble if your carrying a item (eg flashlight) and only using it in its primary function (lighting up stuff).

but that was a few years ago.

Repect the cops with Mag's and fear the cops with Surefires /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Geoff

Hey...kinda on the lights of what Geoff said,

Maybe the law isn't really talking about LIGHT. Maybe they ARE talking about those big, honking Mag D cells and Streamlight SL series type flashlights. The exerpt that you posted doesn't really say much about what part of a flashlight can be incapacitating. Heck...it could very well mean that a flashlight, in its entiretly, is dangerous.

They might as well ban carrying pens and pencils because you could stab someone with it, or ban pocket lint because it can incapacitate someone because it can get in there eyes. sheesh...

That's rediculous... I would leave a country like that, as they do not deserve the support that my taxes provide.

Torches sold as tactical defence devices could be construed in British law as an offensive weapon. A heavy mag torch, such as my Elektrolumens 5W cyan, could be construed as a weapon if carried in a town in brightly lit areas. I tend to use mine in the countryside, where its massive light output can be useful.
The Police have started experimenting with strobing torches using 5W cyan luxeons, pulsed at very high currents for very short periods, in a random pulse sequence. This immwediately disorientates any assailant.
I can put the fear of the Law into some petty criminals by flashing a blue LED torch at them!

Perhaps it refers to the honkin' big multiple D cell lights, however Surefire's own website makes a statement of their lights' ability to temporarily incapacitate an assailant by bliding them.

Ever since that night in the park I got stopped by the cops for no apparent reason (was playing with my lights), I've taken the time to read up on the precise wording of the law to be able to say on the right side, or at least able to justify/defend my items of carry.

Resultant of which, I am constantly travelling to/from a meeting place to sell a folding knife. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Ha Ha, pretty soon - maybe as little as 4 days from now - Onyx will have to change his sig!!!!

If you've seen the email Onyx, you know what I mean!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Oh yeah, thanks PlayboyJoe. I'll go change my sig now. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Yes, I admit it, I'm resurrecting an ancient thread, but I just found it on the results of a google search.
Do you think lights like my Olight S1R Baton II or my Nitecore EC23 would be considered illegal?

Wolf Eyes has an Aussie sales site, pretty sure you're fine.

Must admit when th e group of protesters threatened to disrupt the projection advertising of a horse race on the side of the Sydney Opera house, i was a bit worried they would look at our interests, but most of the protesters must have picked up one of those cheapo multi led torches you can buy at any servo, on the way to the protest ( other Aussies will know what i'm on about ). Still, it would have been fun to show up with a TN42 and K65 though. Imagine the questions, " where did ya get that? " Ohh, just at a servo on the way to the protest.

BushcrafterAU said:

Yes, I admit it, I'm resurrecting an ancient thread, but I just found it on the results of a google search.
Do you think lights like my Olight S1R Baton II or my Nitecore EC23 would be considered illegal?

Click to expand...

Yeah, what S.H. said.
BTW, when a topic is 15 years dead.... feel free to start a new one, and reference this topic. You'll get far more replies. Otherwise the first post everyone is going to see will say "2003" and they'll just immediately exit the thread without bothering to read further, thinking some new member unintentionally bumped a zombie thread.