The recent violent brawl involving youths at Northland Shopping Centre has once again spotlighted the concerning rise in youth-related crime and weapon-carrying across Victoria. In response, Our CEO,Paul Burke, spoke with several media outlets to urge the Victorian Government to take immediate action—not just through reactive policy, but through meaningful, early intervention that addresses the root causes of youth violence.
While the introduction of a machete ban later this year is a step in the right direction, Paul warns it is not enough on its own. “Families should be able to go about their Sunday shopping without fearing they’ll be caught in a violent confrontation,” he said. “But we cannot legislate our way out of this crisis. We need to understand why young people feel the need to carry weapons in the first place.”
This concern isn’t new. The late Les Twentyman OAM, renowned youth advocate and founder of the Foundation, spent decades warning of the dangers posed by the growing normalisation of weapons among young people. In 2006, he partnered with Father Bob Maguire to deliver a successful knife buyback program, incentivising young people to surrender their weapons in exchange for vouchers to sporting goods stores, cinemas, and AFL games.
That community-based approach—empowering youth rather than punishing them—remains core to the Foundation’s work today. Our Youth Support Service (YSS) provides direct, intensive support to young people at their first interaction with police. Despite its success—80% of participants do not reoffend—this proven program recently suffered a devastating 40% cut in government funding.
“Young people don’t pick up a machete to cause harm—they carry it because they feel unsafe,” said Paul. “It becomes a shield, not a sword. That mindset doesn’t change through fear of punishment, but through connection, mentorship, and community-led intervention.”
The Foundation is calling on the Victorian Government to re-invest in these youth worker-led support models—ones that identify risk early, redirect harmful behaviour, and help young people find safe, positive pathways forward.
“Locking up kids without the right support only makes things worse,” Paul said. “If we want safer communities, we must intervene early and walk alongside young people before it’s too late.”
🎥 Watch Paul’s interview with Sky News below