Ms ROSOL question to MINISTER for HEALTH, MENTAL HEALTH and WELLBEING, Mrs ARCHER
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called for health and safety to be at the forefront of firearms decision-making. AMA state president Meg Creely said:
As doctors, we see the devastating impact that suicide, family violence and serious injury can have on individuals, families and communities.
Dr Creely also said:
Measures that reduce those risks are sensible public health measures that can help save lives. Preventing an injury or death is always preferable to treating the consequences in an emergency department.
Dr Phill Pullinger of Medics for Gun Control said:
We don’t allow the tobacco lobby to write our smoking laws, and the gun lobby shouldn’t be writing our gun laws.
As minister for Health, why are you standing with the Police minister, Mr Ellis, and the gun lobby? Why are you ignoring health leaders’ pleas for caps on firearms?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I absolutely stand with Mr Ellis in the statement that he has just made in this House in relation to this issue. Of course, I listen carefully to the AMA and others’ views in relation to this issue, and indeed any issue, and the perspective they bring as health professionals. That is around considering, as we do across a whole range of areas in the health system, in response to advocacy from the AMA and others, a balanced view, that we are balancing those considerations. That’s what the government should do and it has done in listening to a range of views when progressing this legislation. The AMA has put their position forward, as they do in relation to smoking and in relation to our road toll. Those are also things that we take into consideration and balance with other considerations.
We have, as the minister has said, also listen to our farmers, to our law‑abiding firearms owners, those living in rural and regional communities for which these are important tools of trade. The position that we have come to is aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of terrorists and criminals, and respecting responsible firearms ownership. More broadly, given the question you’ve asked me, if anybody viewing this needs support, I encourage them to contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Supplementary Question
Ms ROSOL – You say you listen carefully to health professionals. They’re the experts in health and public health, and they are the experts in the impacts of gun violence. Why are you ignoring their advice?
Mrs ARCHER – I’m not ignoring their advice. I have listened to their advice in the same way I listen to their advice in formulating other public health policies; in the way that we respond to their advice, for example, in relation to the road toll. They see the impacts of motor vehicle accidents every day of the week, but they’re not calling on us to ban cars.
