Dr WOODRUFF – Premier, there are more than 155,000 registered firearms and 37,000 firearms licences in Tasmania. Australia’s threat level has increased this year and national security agencies have warned of increasing domestic terrorism driven by social and political issues, conspiracy theories, personal grievances, a range of things.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Yes.
Dr WOODRUFF – Do you acknowledge that this is no time to be weakening Tasmania’s firearms laws?
Mr ROCKLIFF – We’re not weakening Tasmania’s firearms laws, Dr Woodruff.
Dr WOODRUFF – You have supported a motion by Shooters and Fishers Party MP Carlo Di Falco to allow shooting on Sustainable Timbers Tasmania land.
Mr ROCKLIFF – That’s not weakening firearms laws.
Dr WOODRUFF – It is.
Mr ROCKLIFF – No, you’re missing the whole context of the very strong decision made by former Prime Minister Howard, former leader of the Nationals Tim Fischer, and former opposition leader Kim Beazley, united along with all colours back at that particular time and for very good reasons, around licensing, access and all those matters, so I don’t agree with your characterisation.
Dr WOODRUFF – In the debate in parliament last week the Shooters and Fishers member in his summing up referred to the use of silencers, also known as sound suppressors. We are deeply concerned, as are members of Tasmania Police, about any prospect of silencers being approved for use in Tasmania. I refer to just two weeks ago where a woman was charged with the attempted murder of police officers after she allegedly shot at their car at Collinsvale. Every day Tasmania Police go onto properties to execute warrants and place themselves at risk. Will you rule out sound suppressors being allowed for use in Tasmania?
Mr ROCKLIFF – First I will go back to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, who I understand was granted an exemption to use sound suppressors in specific controlled deer-culling operations. These exemptions, granted by the Commissioner of Police under section 155(4) of the Firearms Act 1996, allows 11 designated NRE employees to possess and use one of four permitted sound suppressors. The use of sound suppressors in this context is subject to very strict conditions and limits their use in certain key purposes. These conditions include that NRE’s shooting activities must be subject to supervision and control through their approved cull plans, reserve closure plans and public safety plans. Safety procedures must be established and maintained when the sound suppressors are in use to prevent injury to any person.
While sound suppressors may have some benefit to shooters in certain situations, there are reasons why they are currently prohibited. The risks presented by sound suppressors include public safety, misuse by shooters and criminal activity, quite clearly, so this is in the context of not domestic matters but around the culling.
Dr WOODRUFF – So you will not allow any changes or weakening to the firearms laws that would allow the use of sound suppressors, because other than –
Mr ROCKLIFF – Community safety will always be the highest priority, Dr Woodruff.
Dr WOODRUFF –Okay, thank you. In relation to 3D printing, just to finish this last question on firearms, there were 4500 firearms seized or surrendered by Tasmania Police last year, a 16 per cent increase on the previous year. The police said that was concerning and it was driven by homemade 3D printed weapons. Would you support any changes Tasmania Police recommends in relation to any regulations that need to be strengthened to protect the community from 3D printed weapons? To be clear, I don’t know what they would be, but if there were any proposed, would you support that?
Mr ROCKLIFF – You’re asking me would I support any strengthening of regulations when it comes to 3D printed firearms in your house?
Dr WOODRUFF – Just 3D printed firearms in Tasmania.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Would I support any actions to protect against that?
Dr WOODRUFF – Yes.
Mr ROCKLIFF – Yes, of course I would.
Dr WOODRUFF – Premier, just finalising, closing the loop on the questions that I asked before about firearms ‑ just for community reassurance and, in fact, a couple of police officers that I spoke to in the last week. Can you require that any changes to firearms regulations come to Cabinet for approval?
Mr ROCKLIFF – I will have to look at the Cabinet processes. My understanding of parliamentary procedure, though, is that changes to legislation committee can be disallowed in parliament. I stand to be corrected on some of that, but that would be my understanding. Given the nature of the discussion we’re now having, it would be important to have a community conversation, Dr Woodruff.
