Ms BADGER question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
[11.09 a.m.]
For two months prior to Cabinet’s decision on the matter, your Police minister was campaigning against caps to firearms ownership. He repeatedly told media that he would not ‘punish licensed firearms owners’. On social media on 12 January, he condemned the nationally proposed reforms by calling them ‘un-Australian’. On the 14th, he argued directly against caps on ABC radio, and used the example of someone who owned 28 firearms as a reason there should not be caps. On the 21st in The Australian, he attacked Labor and the Greens for wanting new restrictions on ownership. On 9 February, after he received the Police Commissioner’s letter, in a social media video he argued against any measures that would affect licensed firearms owners. The list goes on.
Do you think it is acceptable for a minister to publicly campaign for their personal opinion in this way prior to Cabinet making a decision?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for the question. Of course, all members have a right to advocate for their community and their constituency, as you do. Ms Finlay was advocating for the farming community, with Ms Finlay’s statements earlier on as well, which I know were appreciated by law abiding firearms owners and farmers as well.
We have consulted with the community; we’ve listened to the community, and we have a very strong reform offering on the table when it comes to firearm reform. Some people within the firearms supporters group, if I can label them that way, aren’t overly enthusiastic about how our reforms are playing out, particularly in terms of recategorising certain firearms into category C. We haven’t pleased everyone and, particularly, some in the firearms advocacy fraternity. We need a balance. We need to ensure that our farmers have the options available to them, in terms of their firearm usage, and our law abiding recreational sporting firearm owners as well as hunters.
I believe we have the balance right, based on evidence. Our focus is not cracking down on caps, but cracking down on criminals. That’s very clearly been articulated in our policy commitment, which includes a national buyback scheme as well.
Supplementary Question
Ms BADGER – I’m just going to return to the original question. We’ve already heard about the consultation that your government has done, Premier. This question was very specifically about the Cabinet decision making process and the responsibilities of the minister under that, and how you went about making that decision when you had made certain commitments, and Tasmanians are hearing different opinions from your ministers.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I thank the honourable member for your question. I am comfortable with our Cabinet processes, as it relates to this issue.
