The Tasmanian Greens today called on the Police and Emergency Services Minister, David O’Byrne, to outline a clear timeline for tabling long-awaited amendments to the Firearms Act 1996.
Greens Police and Emergency Services spokesperson Paul O’Halloran MP said the Minister must commit not to watering down the state’s gun control provisions under pressure from gun lobbyists.
“Police are working hard to battle gun crime in Tasmania, but without strong laws to back them up they are fighting a losing battle,” Mr O’Halloran said.
“It is time to extend bans to ensure people are not keeping semi-automatic handguns.”
“There is really no need for such a weapon to be out in the community, and the danger is that licensed semi-automatic handguns can fall into to the wrong hands, and are much more readily transportable and concealable.”
“Tasmania reportedly has three times the national average of firearm theft, and it’s well past time that Minister O’Byrne moved to improve and strengthen the storage requirements.”
“We cannot tackle gun violence without getting serious about restricting access to high power and rapid-fire weapons, removing semi-automatic hand guns and strengthening storage security requirements.”
Paul O’Halloran MP Greens Police & Emergency Services Spokesperson
