[Bruce in West Oz]

Senate OK's handgun buy-back
By Peter Jean

THE Government's $87 million buy-back of newly outlawed handguns was tonight given the go ahead by the Senate to begin next week.

The states and territories agreed to tighten gun laws after two people were shot dead at Monash University in October last year.

The states will ban a range of small handguns, handguns with a calibre above .38 and those with a magazine capacity exceeding 10 rounds.

The Federal Government has agreed to fund around two thirds of the cost of compensating the owners of banned guns.

Justice Minster Chris Ellison said the states would ban more than 4000 types of handguns.

"This change is the most significant reform in relation to hand gun law in this country," Senator Ellison told parliament.

"What we have to do is achieve a balance between public safety and the legitimate interests of legitimate sporting shooters, and we've done that."

Brian Greig (AD, WA) said the new gun control measures did not go far enough because a range of handguns had been excluded from the bans.

"The whole exercise is very little than an expensive public relations stunt by the government which, at the very best, will remove one in five handguns from the community," he said.

Len Harris (PHON, Qld) said totalitarian regimes, such as the former Soviet Union, had used gun control laws to oppress their populations.

"In every form, anti-gun legislation has helped tyrants to work against innocent people," Senator Harris said.

"Disarmed people become the criminal's prey and the bully's play thing."

The buy-back will begin on July 1, except in NSW and South Australia where it is unclear when it will begin.

Labor Justice spokesman Daryl Melham said the government had failed to detail how the buy-back would work.

"The community is in the dark about how this buy-back scheme will work on the ground," he said in a statement.

http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6660009%255E421,00.html


:cuss: :cuss: :fire: :fire: :cuss: :cuss:

[Standing Wolf]

The states and territories agreed to tighten gun laws after two people were shot dead at Monash University in October last year.

What dunces!

[Deadman]

Quite frankly I'm surprised it's taken them this long to implement that legislation....

[fallingblock]

The Federal offer to buy back ALL your handguns in exchange for your being barred from handgun shooting for five years?

To me, this indicates that the Federal Government intend to finish-off private ownership of handguns before then:scrutiny:

[Cosmoline]

It's like science fiction. SCARY science fiction.

[jsalcedo]

I'm afraid this might be the domino theory revisited.

The only thing I can think of that might be our saving grace is the fact
America violently overthrew its previous masters unlike Australia and Canada.

[fallingblock]

Except here in Australia it's going more like the "house of cards":rolleyes:

One P.M., since 1996, has succeeded in vilifying shooters and their hobbies with the eager participation and encouragement of the media and all major political parties.:uhoh:

That written Bill of Rights the Founders gave the U.S. was no idle afterthought; those folks understood what the likely source of problems would be, and it wasn't 'the people'.:)

The P.M. responsible for this hatchet-job against shooters remains steadfastly opposed to a bill-of-rights for Australia:scrutiny:

His reason should be obvious:fire:

[jimpeel]

jsalcedo

I'm afraid this might be the domino theory revisited. Except this time the dominoes will not begin to fall from Southeast Asia but from within Australia. Remember, the Aussies were with us in Vietnam for that very reason. Looks like they were saved from Communism to fall from within to simple tyranny.


fallingblock

One P.M., since 1996, has succeeded in vilifying shooters and their hobbies with the eager participation and encouragement of the media and all major political parties.

That written Bill of Rights the Founders gave the U.S. was no idle afterthought; those folks understood what the likely source of problems would be, and it wasn't 'the people'.

The P.M. responsible for this hatchet-job against shooters remains steadfastly opposed to a bill-of-rights for Australia

His reason should be obviousObvious, indeed. A Bill of Rights would remove the power from the government and return it to the people from wence all power rightly derives. The pols over there think that the power to govern comes from the government, for the government, by the government. It may take a violent revolution to convince the government otherwise. Hence, their desire to disarm the people.

What they will never realize is that they would also have to ban wheel weights, bird droppings (source of nitrates), water pipe, matches, most household cleaners, gasoline, machine shops, machine tools; and they would also have to jail all journeyman and master machinists, chemists, and all ex-soldiers trained in the use of common tools for the furtherance of warfare.

[Esky]

In the face of this, don't forget that unlike America, the Australian people are not sovereign.

Here we are subjects of the Crown.

So the Crown, ie the Government acting in the Queen's name through the Governor-General, holds all the power.

Sadly it looks like what happened in Britain is now happening in Australia, and it will have the same consequences- more crime, less ability to defend yourself and your family.

Unfortunately there's even less accountability for politicians here than there is in the US, as so many of them are elected strictly through party affiliation. Voting is mandatory (admittedly there's only a $100 fine for not voting,) and both major parties like it that way, I reckon because that way they get so many sheeple to vote the straight party ticket.

This means that Australians are pretty well stuck with whatever the gov't decides is 'for their best interests.'

And the days of the self-reliant Aussie are over.

Esky
who wishes it weren't so.

[fallingblock]

was the first 'official' N.T. Police visit to explain and begin implementation of the 'new' handgun laws. Of course it is obvious that most of the changes are aimed at discouraging shooters from continuing their sport, and particularly ay making it more difficult for new shooters to enter the sport.

Just a couple of examples, to remind the Yanks how relatively good they still have things:

If you are a person who wishes to try pistol shooting, to be legally allowed to do so, you must apply at least a week in advance of your nominated "pistol shooting day" at your police station and pay a $20 permit fee. A permit to attend will be mailed to you from Darwin which allows you to shoot ON THE NOMINATED DAY, under the supervision of a licenced shooter.
Did you like that pistol shooting:D ? If you want to do it again, back to the police station, another $20 for a permit, nominate the day, and repeat....but only for a limited number of permits (as yet unspecified) until you must join the club. Then, for six months you may not own a pistol or shoot without supervision. The next six months you may participate in the club matches using a club gun. Still with us? After 12 months you can own:
One .22 OR centerfire handgun
One air pistol
One blackpowder pistol, EITHER a revolver or single shot.

Licence is $20 per year (for now), handgun use forbidden anywhere but at your nominated club range or by invitation to another club match.

I've saved the most interesting bit of the new law for last.

This part even most Australians have not been made fully aware of.

If any member of the club or public THINKS that a shooter MAY be a threat to themselves or the public, such individual may report that thought to the police, who will then be free to seize ALL firearms owned by the licencee-
The person reporting the suspected threat WILL BE INDEMNIFIED AGAINST ANY AND ALL LEGAL PROSECUTION by the accused. No identification of the informant to the accused will be required, nor will the accused be granted legal right to face their accuser :what:

Is this the "denounce your neighbor, comrade" scene revisited, or what?

Esky said:
************************************************************
"Unfortunately there's even less accountability for politicians here than there is in the US, as so many of them are elected strictly through party affiliation. Voting is mandatory (admittedly there's only a $100 fine for not voting,) and both major parties like it that way, I reckon because that way they get so many sheeple to vote the straight party ticket.

This means that Australians are pretty well stuck with whatever the gov't decides is 'for their best interests.'

And the days of the self-reliant Aussie are over.
************************************************************

It's even worse than that, Esky, much worse:eek:

California will seem like a sane and reasonable place to you after having seen where Oz is headed:uhoh:

Team up with Jim March and the others fighting the good fight there and turn it around....this foolishness has gone far enough:banghead:

[Esky]

fallingblock said:California will seem like a sane and reasonable place to you after having seen where Oz is headed

Team up with Jim March and the others fighting the good fight there and turn it around....this foolishness has gone far enough

You betcha sweet ar** I will.

And I'm sure that you & others here will fight the good fight too, but like I said, I don't think there's any turning back from this point... :cuss:

Esky
sad to be leaving good friends fighting a hopeless battle

[fallingblock]

Esky
sad to be leaving good friends fighting a hopeless battle
************************************************************

If enough folks in the U.S. can learn from the 'blindsiding' shooters received from this, Australia's 'conservative' government and shake off the ingrained habit of complacency, then perhaps they can finally unite and make these hoplophobic petty tyrants fear the political backlash from their tyranny.;)

There are certainly enough gunowners in the U.S. to do just that.:D

I really enjoy the climate and vast open spaces of Australia, but agree that the losses of liberty are probably irreversible here:fire:

One of these days maybe I'll head back as well:)