- Western
Australia is set to become the first jurisdiction in the country to impose a
limit on the number of firearms a licensed firearm holder can own, as the
Government elevates public safety to its top priority
- Proposed
laws created through extensive consultation with firearms owners, peak bodies,
and safety advocates
- Eight
licence types have been developed for specific users, including primary producers,
competitive shooters, and recreational shooters
- Storage
requirements to be enhanced, providing greater security and safety
- State Government-funded
buyback to limit the financial impact on licence holders
The number of guns an individual can own is set to be restricted, as
part of the Cook Labor Government's historic firearm reform that enhances
community safety.
Limits will be linked to new licence types which have been tailored to
reflect the specific needs of different firearm owners.
Under the proposed new legislation, some licence types will be
restricted to numerical limits.
Primary producers and firearm club/competition members can license up to
10 firearms, while recreational shooters will be permitted to own a maximum of
no more than five.
Competitive shooters aspiring to represent the State at a national or
international level can apply to the regulator for additional numbers.
The introduction of firearm limits is estimated to remove up to 13,000
guns from the WA community, despite restrictions having no impact on most
licence holders.
Over the past five years, on average one firearm has been stolen in WA
every day. More onerous controls on storage will dramatically reduce the
likelihood of thefts.
In addition to primary producer, other
licence types include individual, trade, business, club, ranges, collector, and
government.
To limit the financial
impact to current licence holders, the Cook Government will fund a voluntary
firearm buyback scheme, with further details to be released in the new year.
Digital licences,
supported by an online portal and significantly upgraded IT system, will be
implemented.
Modernising the licensing
and registry of firearms will allow gun owners to have greater access to
information and services while simultaneously improving the quality of data
gathered by regulators, giving officers real-time access to licence holder
details when on the frontline.
A Firearms Bill
Consultation Paper will be released for public review and comment tomorrow.
Feedback on the
proposed laws can be submitted via the WA Police website by November 14.
All comments will be
considered prior to the Bill being entered into Parliament early next year.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"The proposed changes
will make WA a safer place and willmodernise
the way police record, monitor and enforce our firearm laws.
"This is the largest
overhaul of firearm laws in the State's history.
"WA is the last
jurisdiction to rewrite its firearm legislation since the Port Arthur massacre.
"Unfortunately, there
have been a number of high-profile gun incidents during recent years.
"These examples of the
unlawful use of firearms highlight the need for this important reform.
"The reforms strike a balance between legitimate,
responsible gun ownership and enhanced public safety."
Comments attributed to Police Minister Paul Papalia:
"Public safety is
paramount, and that has been the key consideration when drafting the proposed
legislation.
"If there are fewer
firearms in the community, there are fewer opportunities for them to be used
illegally.
"Since 2009, WA's
firearm numbers have increased 65 per cent to more than 360,000.
"New firearm limits
will only impact around five per cent of individual licence holders but the
changes will remove over 10,000 firearms from the community.
"Extensive consultation
has been carried out during the drafting process. Police have held more than
100 meetings with individuals, relevant stakeholders, and interested parties.
"I want to thank
everyone involved for their contributions to developing this robust, lengthy, and
considered overhaul of the State's outdated firearms laws.
"In addition to the
proposed legislative changes, we have already stripped notorious crime figures
and serious domestic violence offenders of their firearms and removed 280
unnecessarily high-powered guns from the community.
"The Firearms Bill
Consultation Paper will be released to the public tomorrow. I encourage
everyone to read it and submit feedback via the WA Police website.
"This historic reform
will make WA a safer place and will benefit future generations for decades to
come."
Comments attributed to Police Commissioner Col Blanch:
"My job and the job of my officers is to keep
the community safe, and illicit firearms pose a significant risk to the safety
of the community and to my officers, especially when in the hands of serious
and organised crime groups.
"We know that
licensed firearms can quickly become illicit firearms and be traded in the
underworld.
"That is why it is so important that we make sure that only firearms
that need to be in the community remain licensed, and that they are stored and
secured appropriately by their owners."
