Ms BADGER question to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, Mr ELLIS
During the election, your government announced that they will be winding back antique firearm laws, overriding police advice on public safety. The police commissioner was crystal clear that technological advancement means that previously obsolete ammunition for antique firearms is now available. Police were crystal clear that a firearm can be used to intimidate or threaten, regardless of whether it can be fired. That is why replica firearms are not legal. Police are simply requiring firearm owners to get a licence and go through the fit and proper persons test, just like any other firearm owner.
Minister, can you justify to the community why you will be moving to allow people to own antique firearms that, to be clear, can be fired, without any licence or background check?
ANSWER
I thank the member for her question and perhaps a bit of background would be helpful on this. Police received legal advice that the exemption that was issued by a former commissioner regarding antique firearms was not legally valid. That then required the police commissioner to take action to establish a process in terms of registration under the act. What we committed to was to subsequently legislate in this space to clarify this area under Tasmania’s firearm laws.
It is important that this parliament decides regarding antique firearms and the way they are stored, collected and registered. We will be bringing legislation back into this parliament to finalise that work because the act is currently broadly silenced on the treatment of antique firearms pre-1900.
Dr Woodruff – No it is not. That is not true.
Mr ELLIS – It is true, Doctor Woodruff,
Madam SPEAKER – We can avoid the conversations across the Chamber? The minister will come to the question, please.
Mr ELLIS – Our government is committed to legislating in this space. We recognise that antique firearms are important historical artefacts and family heirlooms. It is important that we are protecting responsible firearms owners in terms of the ownership of those heirlooms.
Firearms capable of being deadly weapons are a separate matter and we will be working through the legislation in this space. When it comes to firearms, we need to weigh up twin priorities: community safety and supporting responsible firearms owners. We think our proposal will get the balance right.
Ms BADGER – Will the minister be taking advice from police on this matter?
Mr ELLIS – Of course.
