Drizzt
Member
Herbert River Express (Australia)
May 20, 2003 Tuesday
SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8
LENGTH: 870 words
HEADLINE: New reforms to handgun laws
BODY:
NEW laws introduced to State Parliament this week are set to see the placement of another government buy-back scheme as well as place further restrictions on access to concealable handguns in Queensland.
Police Minister Tony McGrady entered the proposed laws through the Weapons Amendment Bill.
Mr McGrady said the restrictions were part of new uniform national handgun laws proposed by the Prime Minister last year and had been approved by the states and territories at Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting.
Mr McGrady said national handgun law reform had been high on the COAG agenda after the Monash University shooting incident last year in which two people were killed and five others seriously injured.
He said the new uniform laws would improve community safety but still enable Australian sporting shooters to compete in internationally.
"The uniform national laws will take easily-concealable handguns out of circulation, unless they are being used by legitimate sporting shooters," he said.
"This will go a long way to preventing concealable weapons ending up in the wrong hands.
"These new laws do not apply to primary producers and people who have a handgun for occupational purposes such as security officers."
"COAG has acted in the national interest and Queensland supports a national approach to this issue," Mr McGrady said.
"In the name of uniformity, and to ensure Queensland received its fair share of compensation, we have acted in strict adherence to the COAG agreement.
"As part of the agreement, the new laws had to be in place by June 30 this year and we are meeting these timelines."
Mr McGrady said an amnesty and buy-back was scheduled to run from July 1 to December 31, as a means of providing compensation to people who possessed weapons which are now the subject of the new restrictions.
"The Commonwealth will provide $15 million for this buyback from funds still remaining from the previous buyback in 1996/97," he said.
"The remaining costs will be funded between the Commonwealth and States/Territories on a two thirds-one third basis."
Mr McGrady said although there were tight timeframes involved in the preparation of the legislation, the Government had consulted with relevant stakeholders.
"We have not sought to impose the Commonwealth proposals without due regard for the rights and interests of our elite sporting shooters who participate in international contests. This Bill results from extensive consultation with sporting and other shooting groups. I thank them for the sensible and constructive approach they have taken to this difficult issue."
He said there are approximately 11,500 licensed sporting shooters in Queensland, who hold approximately 27,000 handguns.
New legislation is planned to:
* Ban high calibre handguns (above .38" or 9mm) for sporting shooters, except for accredited events. The Prime Minister has proposed accreditation for only two events so far. The Queensland legislation would retain flexibility for event accreditation by allowing this to be prescribed by way of regulation.
* Ban short-barrelled handguns (under 12 cm for semi automatics) for sporting shooters, but swapping and lengthening of barrels will be permitted.
* Ban high capacity magazines (above 10 rounds) for sporting shooters and possession of magazines without a license will be prohibited.
* Require sporting shooters to participate in a minimum number of competitions per year -- six for one class of pistol, four more for every additional class of pistol. Failure to comply could result in forfeiture of weapon. The aim is to ensure only genuine sporting shooters retain handguns.
* Graduated access -- new requirements and restrictions will apply to new shooters and clubs. People wishing to become sporting shooters will be required, prior to making a licence application, to be a handgun club member for at least six months, complete a firearms safety course in the 12 months, and demonstrate a genuine interest in the sport by participating in a minimum number of supervised competition shoots (three). In the first 12 months of holding a licence, a new sporting shooter will only be permitted to acquire up to two firearms, one of which is an air pistol.
* Enable the Police Commissioner to refuse/revoke a weapons licence because of criminal intelligence or other relevant information.
* Further tighten weapons storage requirements.
* Impose additional requirements and restrictions for historical collectors. For example, individual collectors must be a member of an accredited historical society, and a collector will be required to demonstrate a prolonged and genuine interest in the study, preservation and collection of firearms.
* Substantially increase penalties proposed for unlawful possession, supply and manufacture of weapons, and for falsifying records or making false declarations.
* Enable police to employ covert evidence gathering powers for unlawful supply, manufacture or trafficking in weapons.
* Extend the courts' powers to suppress information to protect informants, similar to laws in place for the protection of drug informants under the Drugs Misuse Act.
May 20, 2003 Tuesday
SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8
LENGTH: 870 words
HEADLINE: New reforms to handgun laws
BODY:
NEW laws introduced to State Parliament this week are set to see the placement of another government buy-back scheme as well as place further restrictions on access to concealable handguns in Queensland.
Police Minister Tony McGrady entered the proposed laws through the Weapons Amendment Bill.
Mr McGrady said the restrictions were part of new uniform national handgun laws proposed by the Prime Minister last year and had been approved by the states and territories at Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting.
Mr McGrady said national handgun law reform had been high on the COAG agenda after the Monash University shooting incident last year in which two people were killed and five others seriously injured.
He said the new uniform laws would improve community safety but still enable Australian sporting shooters to compete in internationally.
"The uniform national laws will take easily-concealable handguns out of circulation, unless they are being used by legitimate sporting shooters," he said.
"This will go a long way to preventing concealable weapons ending up in the wrong hands.
"These new laws do not apply to primary producers and people who have a handgun for occupational purposes such as security officers."
"COAG has acted in the national interest and Queensland supports a national approach to this issue," Mr McGrady said.
"In the name of uniformity, and to ensure Queensland received its fair share of compensation, we have acted in strict adherence to the COAG agreement.
"As part of the agreement, the new laws had to be in place by June 30 this year and we are meeting these timelines."
Mr McGrady said an amnesty and buy-back was scheduled to run from July 1 to December 31, as a means of providing compensation to people who possessed weapons which are now the subject of the new restrictions.
"The Commonwealth will provide $15 million for this buyback from funds still remaining from the previous buyback in 1996/97," he said.
"The remaining costs will be funded between the Commonwealth and States/Territories on a two thirds-one third basis."
Mr McGrady said although there were tight timeframes involved in the preparation of the legislation, the Government had consulted with relevant stakeholders.
"We have not sought to impose the Commonwealth proposals without due regard for the rights and interests of our elite sporting shooters who participate in international contests. This Bill results from extensive consultation with sporting and other shooting groups. I thank them for the sensible and constructive approach they have taken to this difficult issue."
He said there are approximately 11,500 licensed sporting shooters in Queensland, who hold approximately 27,000 handguns.
New legislation is planned to:
* Ban high calibre handguns (above .38" or 9mm) for sporting shooters, except for accredited events. The Prime Minister has proposed accreditation for only two events so far. The Queensland legislation would retain flexibility for event accreditation by allowing this to be prescribed by way of regulation.
* Ban short-barrelled handguns (under 12 cm for semi automatics) for sporting shooters, but swapping and lengthening of barrels will be permitted.
* Ban high capacity magazines (above 10 rounds) for sporting shooters and possession of magazines without a license will be prohibited.
* Require sporting shooters to participate in a minimum number of competitions per year -- six for one class of pistol, four more for every additional class of pistol. Failure to comply could result in forfeiture of weapon. The aim is to ensure only genuine sporting shooters retain handguns.
* Graduated access -- new requirements and restrictions will apply to new shooters and clubs. People wishing to become sporting shooters will be required, prior to making a licence application, to be a handgun club member for at least six months, complete a firearms safety course in the 12 months, and demonstrate a genuine interest in the sport by participating in a minimum number of supervised competition shoots (three). In the first 12 months of holding a licence, a new sporting shooter will only be permitted to acquire up to two firearms, one of which is an air pistol.
* Enable the Police Commissioner to refuse/revoke a weapons licence because of criminal intelligence or other relevant information.
* Further tighten weapons storage requirements.
* Impose additional requirements and restrictions for historical collectors. For example, individual collectors must be a member of an accredited historical society, and a collector will be required to demonstrate a prolonged and genuine interest in the study, preservation and collection of firearms.
* Substantially increase penalties proposed for unlawful possession, supply and manufacture of weapons, and for falsifying records or making false declarations.
* Enable police to employ covert evidence gathering powers for unlawful supply, manufacture or trafficking in weapons.
* Extend the courts' powers to suppress information to protect informants, similar to laws in place for the protection of drug informants under the Drugs Misuse Act.