Ms BADGER question to MINISTER for POLICE, FIRE and EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, Mr ELLIS
We are increasingly hearing stories from the Tasmanian community about the growing presence of signage threatening firearms violence displayed at properties across the state, like those at Collinsvale highlighted in today’s news. These signs are understandably intimidating and frightening to reasonable law-abiding Tasmanians, especially in the context of threats and attacks on police by armed so-called sovereign citizens in other states and here.
As Police minister, you are responsible not only for Tasmania’s firearm laws, but for public safety and the safety of officers on the front line. Given that, will you condemn the display of signage threatening firearms violence and seek an urgent meeting with the police commissioner about public safety in this context and responsibly reframing public messaging on the firearms reform debate in Tasmania?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the honourable member for Lyons for the question. Certainly, there’s no place for firearms violence in our community. I think we’d all agree on that. There’s also no place for trespass. In terms of private signage, that is a matter for landowners, but we encourage people to be civil in their tones –
Dr Woodruff – You’ve got to be kidding. That’s disgraceful.
Mr ELLIS – I’m not sure what exactly the concern was there, Dr Woodruff, but specifically there’s no place for firearms violence. I think we made that really clear.
Dr Woodruff – But what about promoting firearms violence? What about if a police officer goes onto the property?
Mr ELLIS – In terms of concerns about – well, saying that I’m responsible for the signs that – some of them look rusty enough to be older than you and I, Ms Badger, I’d reject that. Ultimately, these are matters for the landowners themselves. But the police commissioner and I speak regularly about these matters, which is part of the reason we included in this Budget, that’s been passed by this House, an officer safety package that extensively provides greater tools for our officers, so they have more use of force options and they have greater protection. We’re also the government that delivered a full-time special operations group. These highly trained operators are often the people that our frontline general duties police look to to provide that additional capability in some of these concerning moments.
More broadly, in terms of sovereign citizens and other potential terrorists, this is exactly why the legislation we have is very much focused on ensuring better intelligence sharing. It is important that firearms don’t fall into the wrong hands, that’s why we need stronger penalties, and that, when intelligence comes into police or other intelligence agencies that our firearms licencing bodies are empowered to act. The problem at Bondi was very clear. Border Force and the ASIO knew that the terrorists had been to terrorist training camps overseas, yet didn’t tell New South Wales police.
Dr Woodruff – We’re talking about Tasmania.
Mr ELLIS – Didn’t tell New South Wales Police and, if it had happened in Tasmania, the same concerns would have existed. That’s why we need a change to this system for the country.
Dr Woodruff – It has happened in Tasmania.
The SPEAKER – Dr Woodruff, this is your second warning.
Mr ELLIS – That’s why we to change this system for the country, Dr Woodruff, because better information sharing from those agencies will assist police here.
Mr ELLIS – One of the terrorists was on an ASIO watchlist for more than six years, yet firearms licencing in New South Wales was not aware of that. That’s why New South Wales’s Premier, Chris Minns, has described what happened as a giant intelligence failure. Now, the Prime Minister was very quick to blame law-abiding firearms owners, but very slow to call the royal commission. The reason that this is so important is that we need to ensure that firearms don’t fall into the wrong hands, so that we can protect our community.
Supplementary Question
Ms BADGER – These are very clear threats that are being displayed in public and it is reckless rhetoric like this that is only emboldening people to continue to display it. It is simply inappropriate. To be unequivocally clear, minister, are you today on your answer standing by threats of firearm violence in the Tasmanian community or will you condemn it?
Mr ELLIS – Sorry, Ms Badger, I’m not sure where the miscommunication is happening between the two of us, but as I said, very clearly, there is no place for firearms violence in our community and we condemn it because we believe that there is no place for firearms violence in our community.
Ms Badger – But you stand by the threats, minister?
The SPEAKER – Member for Lyons, this is your first warning.
