Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek has sought to reassure parents, students and teachers that the state's schools remain overwhelmingly safe following two separate stabbing incidents that occurred within two days. The comments came after violent incidents at schools in Cairns and Brisbane raised concerns about student safety.
The first incident occurred at Trinity Bay State High School in Cairns, where a 15-year-old student suffered an abdominal injury during an altercation. Another 15-year-old boy was later arrested and charged with acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm. The injured student remains in hospital in a stable condition.
A day later, another stabbing occurred at the Islamic College of Brisbane in Karawatha. A 17-year-old student suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital, while a 16-year-old boy was taken into police custody and later charged in connection with the incident.
Speaking after the incidents, Mr Langbroek said the events were isolated and should not undermine public confidence in Queensland's education system. He stressed that violence in schools is not tolerated and that the overwhelming majority of students attend school in safe learning environments every day.
The minister also highlighted the state's Jack's Law, which gives police expanded powers to use handheld metal-detecting wands in designated public places to search for weapons without a warrant. He said the legislation has been an important measure in reducing knife crime but confirmed there are currently no plans to introduce routine wanding inside Queensland schools.
Instead, individual schools will continue to assess their own security needs and implement appropriate safety measures based on local circumstances. The Department of Education is also providing counselling and wellbeing support to affected students, families and staff following both incidents.
Police have emphasised that there was no ongoing threat to either school community after the arrests were made. Investigators believe the students involved in the Cairns incident knew each other, while inquiries into the Brisbane case remain ongoing.
Education experts note that although incidents involving weapons at schools receive significant public attention, they remain uncommon compared with the millions of school attendances across Queensland each year. Authorities continue to encourage students, parents and staff to report concerns early so potential conflicts can be addressed before they escalate.
Queensland Police and the Department of Education have reiterated their commitment to working together to maintain safe learning environments through prevention programs, student wellbeing initiatives and rapid responses to serious incidents. Investigations into both stabbings remain ongoing.
