- $64.3 million voluntary firearm buyback
compensation scheme to begin next week
- Timed to coincide with the introduction of the
new Firearms Bill to WA Parliament
- Buyback to remain open for six months, or until
funding is exhausted
- Historic reform elevates public safety, and will
see Western Australia adopt the toughest firearm laws in the nation
Western
Australia's firearm buyback compensation scheme will commence on Wednesday, 21
February 2024 as the Cook Government introduces the toughest firearm laws in
the country to the WA Parliament.
The
new legislation elevates public safety as the key consideration, and will see
tens of thousands of unnecessary firearms removed from WA.
All
WA individual firearm licence holders are eligible to receive compensation for
surrendered firearms regardless of whether legislative changes impact their
licence. The voluntary scheme will remain open until Saturday, 31 August 2024,
or until the $64.3 million fund is exhausted.
A
payment schedule based on current retail baseline valuations, similar to those
used in the 1996/97 Commonwealth buyback, has been developed in conjunction
with industry stakeholders.
The schedule outlines the amount payable
following surrender of a firearm, dependant on type, style, calibre, and initial
registration date.
Firearms can be surrendered at any WA Police station. Unlicensed
firearms may be surrendered without penalty and without fear of prosecution, however,
they will not qualify for the buyback scheme.
The Cook Government's new firearms laws have been developed
following years of extensive consultation with licence holders, the Primary
Producers Firearms Advisory Board, industry stakeholders, and the community.
New legislation will see WA become the first state in
Australia to introduce a limit on the number of firearms an individual can own.
Other key changes include enhanced storage requirements, mandatory firearms
training, compulsory health checks, new licence types, reform of the written
authority system, and the introduction of mandatory disqualifying offences.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"My Government'snew laws
strike a balance between the legitimate and responsible use of firearms and
public safety.
"The changes will see WA introduce the
most robust management of firearms in the country. This will also mean the
State will be ready and equipped to participate in a national firearms
registry.
"The crackdown will also modernise the way police record, monitor, and
enforce our firearm legislation.
"There are more than 360,000 licensed
firearms owned by fewer than 90,000 Western Australians, and the new legislation will impact all of them in
a responsible way.
"That's why we are giving all individual
firearms licence holders the opportunity to take part in the $64.3 million
voluntary buyback scheme."
Comments
attributed to Police Minister Paul Papalia:
"All
firearms owners should seriously consider taking part in the voluntary buyback.
"Law changes will make it harder to obtain a firearm licence,
there will be stricter regulation surrounding where you can use and store
firearms, and many Western Australians who purchased a property letter online
as a reason to get a licence may struggle to get a new written authority.
"The $64.3
million buyback will remove tens of thousands of unnecessary firearms from the
community, and see the Cook Government establish WA as the first State in
Australia to place limits on the number of firearms a person can own.
"Unfortunately, a number of high-profile
firearm incidents have compromised the safety of regular, law-abiding Western
Australians in recent years.
"If there are fewer firearms in the
community, there will fewer opportunities for them to be used inappropriately."
