SYDNEY -- A teenager has been accused of wounding a Christian bishop and a priest during a church service in the second high-profile knife attack to rock Sydney in recent days, leaving communities on edge, leaders calling for calm and a besieged church urging against retaliation.

The 16-year-old boy is under police guard in hospital after what investigators say appeared to be a religiously motivated and planned attack at Christ the Good Shepherd Church at suburban Wakeley.

Premier Chris Minns confirmed the teenager was found with a knife at school in 2020 and was placed on a good behaviour bond over a knife crime three months ago.

In light of a series of stabbing incidents across Sydney in the past week, Minns said he would consider tougher knife laws.

Asked if knife laws should be strengthened in NSW following the incidents at the church and Bondi Junction in recent days, Minns noted rules had already been tightened following the murder of a paramedic in recent months, but said he was open to exploring reforms.

“I’m not prepared to rule anything out right now. Obviously when people are being killed and you’ve got a situation where a knife is being used, then it would be irresponsible not to look at,” Minns said.

Ban black knives with the thing that goes up.

Police will be able to scan people for knives without a warrant in crowded places including shopping centres under new laws being developed by the New South Wales government after stabbings at Bondi Junction, Wakeley and Coffs Harbour.
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The NSW laws will give police powers to “wand” or “scan” people for knives without a warrant in designated areas including transport hubs and shopping centres.

The designations will be made available where “relevant” weapons and knife crime have occurred within the past six months. Police would then be given the ability to wand people in the area for 12 hours, with an option to extend.