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AAP NEWSFEED
April 28, 2003, Monday 6:53 AM Eastern Time
SECTION: Domestic News
LENGTH: 398 words
HEADLINE: TAS: Handgun ban a shambles; gun control lobby
BYLINE: By Libby Sutherland
DATELINE: HOBART, April 28
BODY:
The latest moves to restrict handguns were branded an absolute shambles today by the National Coalition for Gun Control.
The lobby group marked the seventh anniversary of Tasmania's Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were shot dead and 19 injured, with a call for a total ban on semi-automatic handguns.
Coalition co-chair Samantha Lee said while about 250 models of handguns would be banned, more than 300 models of military-style semi-automatic handguns would remain on the streets and in the homes of shooters.
Under an agreement struck by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) last December, handguns with a barrel length over 120mm containing less than 10 shots will remain legal.
State and territories must have legislation backing the COAG amendments in place by July and a buy-back scheme is also planned.
Ms Lee, in a statement, branded the COAG agreement an "absolute shambles", with only Tasmania and Victoria so far introducing the required legislation.
She also criticised the federal government for failing to provide a list to specify which handguns would be banned.
Coalition co-chair Roland Browne, meanwhile, called for a complete ban on semi-automatic handguns in Australia.
"What we are going to see is everyone getting rid of their illegal handgun and simply replacing it with a legal one," Mr Browne said.
While welcoming amendments to tighten licensing and regulation of handguns, he said the guns remaining legal would be no less dangerous than those banned.
"After the Port Arthur massacre, we introduced a round of comprehensive reforms for rifles and shotguns," Mr Browne said.
"One of these reforms was it became illegal to use a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun for target shooting, but we don't have that for handguns for some bizarre reason."
"What we would like to see is a complete ban on semi-automatic handguns in Australia."
Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown yesterday called on Prime Minister John Howard to "get tough" with the states and make sure semi-automatic handguns received the same treatment that semi-automatic rifles following the Port Arthur massacre.
Port Arthur Historic Site chief executive officer Stephen Large said the anniversary of the 1996 massacre would be marked with a low-key memorial at the site today, featuring a wreath-laying ceremony and a minute's silence to remember those who died.
April 28, 2003, Monday 6:53 AM Eastern Time
SECTION: Domestic News
LENGTH: 398 words
HEADLINE: TAS: Handgun ban a shambles; gun control lobby
BYLINE: By Libby Sutherland
DATELINE: HOBART, April 28
BODY:
The latest moves to restrict handguns were branded an absolute shambles today by the National Coalition for Gun Control.
The lobby group marked the seventh anniversary of Tasmania's Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were shot dead and 19 injured, with a call for a total ban on semi-automatic handguns.
Coalition co-chair Samantha Lee said while about 250 models of handguns would be banned, more than 300 models of military-style semi-automatic handguns would remain on the streets and in the homes of shooters.
Under an agreement struck by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) last December, handguns with a barrel length over 120mm containing less than 10 shots will remain legal.
State and territories must have legislation backing the COAG amendments in place by July and a buy-back scheme is also planned.
Ms Lee, in a statement, branded the COAG agreement an "absolute shambles", with only Tasmania and Victoria so far introducing the required legislation.
She also criticised the federal government for failing to provide a list to specify which handguns would be banned.
Coalition co-chair Roland Browne, meanwhile, called for a complete ban on semi-automatic handguns in Australia.
"What we are going to see is everyone getting rid of their illegal handgun and simply replacing it with a legal one," Mr Browne said.
While welcoming amendments to tighten licensing and regulation of handguns, he said the guns remaining legal would be no less dangerous than those banned.
"After the Port Arthur massacre, we introduced a round of comprehensive reforms for rifles and shotguns," Mr Browne said.
"One of these reforms was it became illegal to use a semi-automatic rifle or shotgun for target shooting, but we don't have that for handguns for some bizarre reason."
"What we would like to see is a complete ban on semi-automatic handguns in Australia."
Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown yesterday called on Prime Minister John Howard to "get tough" with the states and make sure semi-automatic handguns received the same treatment that semi-automatic rifles following the Port Arthur massacre.
Port Arthur Historic Site chief executive officer Stephen Large said the anniversary of the 1996 massacre would be marked with a low-key memorial at the site today, featuring a wreath-laying ceremony and a minute's silence to remember those who died.
