Statement from a community meeting concerned about a push by shooting groups to water down our gun laws
A meeting was held yesterday (18 September 2013) in Hobart to respond to concerns that the Government is under pressure from the shooting lobby. The concern is that without strong community pressure the government will wind back parts of the Tasmanian Firearms Act and prevent any further gun law reform, such as placing a ban on semi-automatic handguns.
The meeting convened by Roland Browne and Anna Reynolds was attended by experts in conservation and wildlife, domestic violence and mental health psychiatry. Apologies were received from Pat Allen from the Tasmanian Police Association, Dr. Brian Walpole (emergency medicine specialist) and Christine Jolly from the Hobart Mum’s Network.
The meeting was briefed by Roland Browne on his understanding and concerns with the process and what was being pushed by the gun lobby as amendments to the Tasmanian Firearms Act.
Concerns around the process:
• The government set-up a process for input to the laws that was inadequate and secretive, and now they have ended up with a committee that is largely made up of shooting groups and firearms advocates. See – http://www.police.tas.gov.au/services-online/firearms/firearms-consultative-committee/
• The government could have improved the committee consultation process if it had been set-up with dedicated roles or positions, so that a better balance was achieved. It was also not appropriate to make committee membership conditional on confidentiality.
• The result is that shooting groups are having an overwhelming influence on the policy process and this will result in weaker gun laws in Tasmania and a failure to make needed reforms.
Concern is that potential amendments pushed by the gun lobby may:
• increase access to firearms for children,
• make pump action shotguns and semi-automatic rifles easier to acquire
• legitimise paint ball
• allow collection of contemporary high powered military rifles
• do away with the 28 day cooling off period on second and subsequent guns,
Also of concern is that the influence of the gun lobby will prevent a much needed strengthening of the laws which should be:
• toughening up gun storage requirements, with back to base alarms for all guns. The current laws are too lax and sees Tasmania with 3 times the national rate of firearm theft.
• Banning semi-automatic handguns, which are the new problem for gun regulation in Australia. They were left out of the post-Port Arthur tragedy ban on semi-automatic firearms and are now being imported into Australia in huge numbers.
Tasmania and Australia’s effort to reduce the risk of gun violence led the world. After melting down 640,000 guns, the risk of an Australian dying by gunshot fell by more than half. Plus, we’ve seen no mass shootings in 16 years. But now over a million firearms have been imported into Australia since gun destruction programs began in 1988 at an average of 43,961 guns a year.
Those present agreed that a community voice is needed to prevent a roll back of laws and to demand a higher standard of public safety. Those present plan to keep a watch on the laws and reconvene when the laws are tabled in Parliament (or before then, if necessary).
The group also agreed to communicate to Minister O’Byrne that there may be people interested in being involved in the committee if it is designed to be more broadly representative with dedicated positions for different sectors. Those present also agreed that many community representatives could not be involved unless the currently confidentiality provisions were lifted as a condition of being involved.
