Mond

Friday, 28 July 2006

NATIONALS PUSH FOR REVIEW OF FIREARM LICENSING DIVISION

The Nationals have written to the Auditor-General seeking a review of the Victoria Police Licensing Services Division (LSD).

The Nationals Spokesman for Natural Resources, Peter Hall and Spokesman for Police and Emergency Services, Bill Sykes, have both raised concerns about long delays in the processing of firearm licence applications.

Both Mr Hall and Dr Sykes have received several complaints from country Victorians who have legitimate use for a firearm and are forced to wait an inordinate amount of time for licence applications to be processed.

Mr Hall said, “The delays are frustrating and in the case of primary producers, they can be costly as farmers are prevented from carrying out vermin control if they don’t possess a current firearms licence”.

Dr Sykes said the situation had also been brought to his attention by the Combined Firearms Council of Victoria (CFCV) which came to the conclusion that an independent review of the licensing division was overdue.

Dr Sykes raised the issue in Parliament last week and both he and Mr Hall will continue to press the Government to address this issue and an additional concern of inefficiencies in the LSD.

Dr Sykes said, “The CFCV believes that the Government intends to increase licence fees to achieve full cost recovery. The CFCV concern is that with current gross inefficiencies in the LSD this could result in exorbitant costs to firearm owners. Thus, any review should ensure maximising both the timelines and efficiency of the LSD.

“The Firearms Council believes that there is a need to reorganise firearm licensing and registration to improve the efficiency of the service and The Nationals are calling on the Auditor-General to examine the options.”

Media contact: Bill Sykes (03) 5762 2100 or 0427 624 989