Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk unerringly finding 'domestic violence' of 'men' as the real cause,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-10/ex-bandido-lionel-patea-to-face-murder-after-tara-brown-bashing/6763694

1. I could think of other ways to use a maglite torch other than shining it in the attackers eyes.
2. With a face full of powder perpetrator would be best to head back to his car, lest we wants to wear the extinguisher and not just the powder.
3. You can have a pocket knife in your car, you can have a big kitchen knife or fishing knife in your car, but the cops aren't going to like it even if you state that it was for a legal purpose.
They will treat you as if you are putting lives in danger just keeping it in the car and will question why it wasn't kept in the boot.
They will see it as a threat to them in the course of their duty.
Don't ever state that it is for defense, or you'll be charged.

Armchair Critic, "You can have a pocket knife in your car, you can have a big kitchen knife or fishing knife in your car, but the cops aren't going to like it even if you state that it was for a legal purpose"

The law change by Labor creates the real risk being charged in the examples given. That could affect the owner, driver and passengers. It will be interesting to see the precedents being set.

Secondly, for any who believe that their vehicle cannot be searched without a warrant, or without 'good cause', rest assured that you will be proved wrong and after your legal eagle has bought a new Audi A4 for his/her missus.

I am agonising over the risk of keeping in the centre console of my 4X4 a dedicated, purpose-designed, drop point rescue knife that has actually been used for that purpose. But do you reckon I would want to attend Court and pay a very large sum to a defending counsel in the hope that a judge would not rely on a literal interpretation of the law that would place me in the wrong anyway? Even if I won I would still be up for all of the costs, legal costs which the public prosecutor is not up for personally.

What about a Leatherman combination tool knife? Perhaps you have a chance if it is bouncing around among greasy tools in a box in the back of a work ute.

The pocket knife in the glove box for oranges? So what if the blade is thin and 10cm. If the tip is not rounded and the cutting edge as blunt as the handle, it could easily fit the definition, then what?

I do not believe the police are out to pinch ordinary people going about their daily business. But where the available law is breached, what are they to do? The devil is in the detail and that refers to the knife. That you are a law-abiding citizen is not relevant.

ONTHEBEACH...

Your last paragraph is absolutely correct ! The coppers aren't after ordinary people carrying out their normal daily activities, it's the boofheads hanging around the night-spots at 2.00am - 3.00am on a Friday or Saturday night seeking trouble, and intimidating others. The regulations associated with any criminal statute is merely a tool to assist the coppers in doing their jobs, is all !

OSW...you have my deep respect, being a copper today would be for the most, an onerous vocation, not to mention dangerous. I'd imagine in your days on the beat there was no issue of Aids/Methamphetamine/Ice as there is for the poor old flatfoot in today's uniform.

In WA where I now reside, the laws regarding the carrying of 'tactical torches' - especially for those in the security industry, are such that to carry the old Maglight (3 or 4 'D' cells) is strictly forbidden. The WAPOL recommended item is somewhere in the region of 6 inches length.

ANY object, item, or device (including the aforementioned extinguisher) if used in a manner considered likely to cause injury "bodily harm/grievous bodily harm" can be construed by the courts as a 'weapon'.

In my case, the road rage incident happened at a busy intersection opposite a McDonalds, the offender was evidently drunk from his speech and behaviour and was later arrested for malicious damage, assault and charged with high range BAC. On this occasion it was witness statements that quite likely saved my bacon.

A Big mac shoved in the face may be acceptable. A double Angry Angus has 6gr of salt.