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Tasmania Police has confirmed despite five metal-detecting wands being available for officers in the state's south, none were used on Saturday night in Hobart's Salamanca precinct. Just before midnight, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the Morrison Street car park at Salamanca. He died on the way to the Royal Hobart Hospital from his injuries. A 23-year-old man was also stabbed and remains in a stable condition. A 17-year-old male has been charged with murder, wounding and assault in relation to the incident. Police have also charged a 20-year-old man with assault. Metal detecting wands not used on Saturday night A statewide trial of the hand-held wands finished in April. There are 15 wands from the trial which are at the discretion of officers to use when on duty. None were used on Saturday night. Laraine Ludwig has been campaigning for knife crime reform for years after her son Reid was fatally stabbed in 2019 in Blackmans Bay in Tasmania's south. She said she was shattered to hear of another stabbing death in Tasmania and questioned why the wands were not used. "I am beyond disappointed, because I feel any deterrent may save a life," she said. "I was shocked to hear they hadn't been ordered." Ms Ludwig has called for the wands to be ordered as soon as possible — sentiments echoed by Labor's police spokesperson, Jen Butler. "The cost of metal detection wands is minimal and shouldn't require a budget sign-off to purchase," Ms Butler said. "The minister also needs to explain why there was not an education program rolled out to support police and educate Tasmanians on these new important laws." Police Minister Felix Ellis said the Tasmanian government was committed to the wand rollout. "We're looking forward to rolling these wands out more broadly once the interim budget is passed," he said. "We'll continue to work with the suppliers and we'll provide an update as soon as possible, but we stand ready to deliver these new wands as soon as the funding is passed." The interim budget will be handed down on November 6. Assistant Commissioner Adrian Bodnar said on Monday if the wands are available, officers have the opportunity to use them. "We do have the 15 wands across the state … we are searching people and we are seizing and retaining these dangerous objects," he said. Tasmania Police was asked if a log is kept of when the wands are used on general duty. In a statement, police responded by saying the wands are in "frequent operational use". "They are currently used by officers in various task forces, and initiatives such as PACER (Police, Ambulance and Clinician Early Response)," the statement said.
