Australia: Gun imports outweigh "buyback" numbers

[Bruce in West Oz]

[Simpsons]Ha-ha![/Simpsons]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9264686%5E421,00.html

Imports outstrip gun buyback
By Samantha Maiden
April 13, 2004

ONE hundred thousand firearms have been imported in the past three years, outstripping the number destroyed in a $60 million taxpayer-funded handgun buyback scheme.

Despite a $21 million handgun buyback in Victoria, which saw 18,814 weapons destroyed last year, figures obtained by The Australian reveal Victorians legally imported 15,184 firearms during the same period.
Nationally, Australia imported 40,939 firearms last year, an increase from
28,016 in 2001-02 and 30,666 in 2000-01.

The Sporting Shooters Association said yesterday the figures confirmed
buyback schemes were a "waste of money", with gun owners simply restocking and upgrading to legal weapons.

"By reducing the number of legally owned firearms in the community you do
not make the community safer," said Victorian president Sebastian Ziccone.

"Since the Port Arthur buybacks in 1996 and the current handgun buyback,
there has not been any impact on firearm crime. The government pays people buckets of money to hand back currently illegal weapons and a large number of people then go out and buy currently legal firearms to participate in their sport."

However, a detailed breakdown of who is buying the guns was unavailable
yesterday, so it was not known whether the guns had been imported by
recreational shooters, law enforcement agencies or the armed forces.

About 65,000 guns were handed in last year to the national handgun buyback scheme, which offered owners an estimated $60 million in compensation.

Owners were paid up to $7350 to hand in their firearms, with most getting
between $500 and $2000 for the most popular guns.

The ban on handguns with a calibre above .38 and limits on barrel length
followed the shooting of two students by a licensed gun owner at Monash
University in October 2002.

Gun Control Australia president John Crook said yesterday it was disturbing that 100,000 firearms had been imported since 2000. However, some of the guns could have been imported by police and security firms.

"As a result of gun buybacks, some of those guns are being replaced with
guns that comply with the new regulations," he said.

"It is disturbing that so many guns are being brought into the country and
it's very disturbing that so many guns are getting into the wrong hands."

Opposition Customs spokesman Mark Bishop warned that it was "dead easy" to get guns, with poor security at ports a weak link in the nation's defence against illegal firearms.

"Less [sic] than 3 per cent of containers are inspected by customs and the
waterfront is wide open to illegal firearms imports," Senator Bishop said.

Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison confirmed online auction sites
including eBay were being used to sell illegal weapons, with Australian
authorities intercepting the sale of handgun and firearms parts on the
internet.

Of course we comply with the poxy "laws".

(Note: Yes, most of these imports were for the military and security companies -- but the antis never let the facts get in the way of a chance to bash gun owners.)

 

[Mk VII]

we went out and bought new ones with the money, too

 

[SDC]

It seems to me I remember reading that there were more SKS's in ONE import shipment that went to Australia than were turned in throughout the entire country after they were prohibited

 

[Hkmp5sd]

so it was not known whether the guns had been imported by recreational shooters, law enforcement agencies or the armed forces.

"It is disturbing that so many guns are being brought into the country and it's very disturbing that so many guns are getting into the wrong hands."

some of the guns could have been imported by police and security firms.

Looks like *someone* would check to see who is importing and buying these guns before jumping off the deep end with wild accusations.