Monday, 3 September 2007

SHOOTERS GENERALLY SUPPORT FIREARMS AMENDMENT BILL 2007

There is general support by shooters for the Firearms Amendment Bill which will be debated in Parliament later this month.

According to Bill Sykes, Nationals Spokesperson for Police, shooters now feel that their voices are being heard via the Firearms Consultative Committee.

Dr Sykes said, “This is a pleasing change from bygone times when the Government imposed unreasonably strict and often impractical constrains on legal firearm owners without any consultation.

“New measures proposed in the Bill include:

• allowing hunters to carry (but not use) a firearm on Crown Land over which there is a licence, for the purpose of hunting without having to obtain consent to do so; (This clarifies a grey area in previous legislation which had caused great concern to shooters and holders of grazing licences on Crown Land.)
   
• prohibition on increasing the magazine capacity of a firearm if that could cause the firearm to become a different category of firearm;
   
• allows firearm clubs to obtain collective permits for display or use at commemorative or historical events (only individuals can obtain such permits currently);
   
• clarifies information sharing requirements between the Chief Commissioner of Police, firearms clubs and individual firearm owners;
   
• a llows security businesses to posses, carry or use multiple handguns providing the Chief Commissioner of Police is satisfied of a genuine need.”

Dr Sykes continued, “There are still issues with delays by the Licensing Services Division (LSD) and the Nationals believe that a review of the LSD is required with emphasis on efficiency of processes and the level of resourcing.”

Dr Sykes concluded, “I am interested to receive additional comments from firearm owners so that I can reflect their views and concerns when I speak on the Bill on behalf of The Nationals.”

Copies of the Bill and second reading speech can be obtained from www.legislation.vic.gov.au and comments forwarded to my office at 2/55 Carrier Street, Benalla 3672.

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