❓ Mr Scaife asks about the firearms buyback scheme's outcome and if anyone advocates for increasing guns in WA. The Minister for Police provides data on the buyback's success and accuses the National Party of being influenced by the gun lobby.
AnsweredQoN 587Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIREARMS
BUYBACK PROGRAM
587. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to keeping the Western Australian community
safe.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the outcome of the firearms buyback scheme,
including how many guns have been removed from Western Australian streets?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house if he is aware of anyone who is advocating to
increase the number of guns in the Western Australian community?
BUYBACK PROGRAM
587. Mr D.A.E. SCAIFE to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's commitment to keeping the Western Australian community
safe.
(1) Can the
minister update the house on the outcome of the firearms buyback scheme,
including how many guns have been removed from Western Australian streets?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house if he is aware of anyone who is advocating to
increase the number of guns in the Western Australian community?
AnswerView source ↗
Member,
I can. Firstly, on the matter of community safety, I want to acknowledge that
the language I used yesterday in question time may have implied that the
President of the Children's Court provides instructions to magistrates.
That would of course not be appropriate. I confirm that any suggestion that
this occurred is inaccurate. I have contacted His Honour Judge Quail to
clarify, but I observe that in more recent court proceedings, in determinations
that have been reported, magistrates have not been discounting sentences due to
conditions at Banksia Hill.
(1) The member
asked what we have achieved in recent times around the gun buyback. This is the
single biggest reduction in guns anywhere in
Australia since John Howard was Prime Minister at the time of the Port
Arthur tragedy. At that time, there was a national buyback. It went for 12
months and, in Western Australia, 53 000 guns
were removed from the community. In only six months, our buyback has removed
almost 40 000. There have been 3 195 handguns, 9 908 shotguns and 25 339 rifles
handed in. A further 449 guns have been sold interstate. It has also achieved a
reduction in the number of licence holders
by 6 000. That means 6 000 people have taken the opportunity to relinquish
their licence altogether . Some 20 500
licence holders participated in the gun buyback. It was an absolute success,
and it demonstrates that today Western Australia is a little bit safer.
As suggested by the Commissioner of Police, there are 38 442 reasons for Western
Australia to be a bit safer than it was six months ago.
(2) With regard
to the member's second question, I must make the observation that we
learnt, in recent times, the reason that the National Party is opposed to safer
gun laws. The gun lobby has given it a $50 000 payment to encourage it to
oppose safer gun laws. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the gun lobby and
that explains a lot about why the National Party is the only party to
unanimously oppose safer gun laws. It is appalling. It is shocking. The
candidate for Bullwinkel's only motivation is to —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Treasurer and Minister for Housing, your behaviour and interjections are
totally and completely unacceptable. When the Speaker calls for order, I expect
order from every member of this place, including ministers.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr R.S. LOVE : I draw the
Speaker's attention to the fact that the Minister for Police has
improperly referred to the member for Central Wheatbelt by another term.
The SPEAKER : Amongst the
interjections, I did hear the Minister for Police refer to the member for
Central Wheatbelt as the candidate for Bullwinkel. If he is referring
directly to the member, he should refer to her as the member for Central
Wheatbelt. He can, of course, point out that she is the candidate for
Bullwinkel, because that is a fact. In this place, minister, and the advice may
as well stand for everybody here, it is a fact that the member is a candidate
at the coming federal election, but when you refer to her in this place, she
should be referred to by the seat she represents currently.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr P. PAPALIA : Thank you,
Speaker. I withdraw the use of the term ''candidate for Bullwinkel''.
Obviously, the member for Central Wheatbelt is back in Western Australia after
her campaigning in Canberra for her future endeavours. That is a good thing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Mr P. PAPALIA : The safer gun
laws that we have passed through the Parliament have resulted in the safest gun
laws in the nation. They impose limits; they create mandatory disqualifying
offences and orders and overhaul the corrupt property letter system. They
provide for more onerous storage requirements, mandatory gun training for licence applicants and regular health assessments
for firearm owners, amongst other things. It is incredible, but clearly explainable and understandable now why the National Party opposes them. It is
because it is doing the bidding of the gun lobby.
I can. Firstly, on the matter of community safety, I want to acknowledge that
the language I used yesterday in question time may have implied that the
President of the Children's Court provides instructions to magistrates.
That would of course not be appropriate. I confirm that any suggestion that
this occurred is inaccurate. I have contacted His Honour Judge Quail to
clarify, but I observe that in more recent court proceedings, in determinations
that have been reported, magistrates have not been discounting sentences due to
conditions at Banksia Hill.
(1) The member
asked what we have achieved in recent times around the gun buyback. This is the
single biggest reduction in guns anywhere in
Australia since John Howard was Prime Minister at the time of the Port
Arthur tragedy. At that time, there was a national buyback. It went for 12
months and, in Western Australia, 53 000 guns
were removed from the community. In only six months, our buyback has removed
almost 40 000. There have been 3 195 handguns, 9 908 shotguns and 25 339 rifles
handed in. A further 449 guns have been sold interstate. It has also achieved a
reduction in the number of licence holders
by 6 000. That means 6 000 people have taken the opportunity to relinquish
their licence altogether . Some 20 500
licence holders participated in the gun buyback. It was an absolute success,
and it demonstrates that today Western Australia is a little bit safer.
As suggested by the Commissioner of Police, there are 38 442 reasons for Western
Australia to be a bit safer than it was six months ago.
(2) With regard
to the member's second question, I must make the observation that we
learnt, in recent times, the reason that the National Party is opposed to safer
gun laws. The gun lobby has given it a $50 000 payment to encourage it to
oppose safer gun laws. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the gun lobby and
that explains a lot about why the National Party is the only party to
unanimously oppose safer gun laws. It is appalling. It is shocking. The
candidate for Bullwinkel's only motivation is to —
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Treasurer and Minister for Housing, your behaviour and interjections are
totally and completely unacceptable. When the Speaker calls for order, I expect
order from every member of this place, including ministers.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr R.S. LOVE : I draw the
Speaker's attention to the fact that the Minister for Police has
improperly referred to the member for Central Wheatbelt by another term.
The SPEAKER : Amongst the
interjections, I did hear the Minister for Police refer to the member for
Central Wheatbelt as the candidate for Bullwinkel. If he is referring
directly to the member, he should refer to her as the member for Central
Wheatbelt. He can, of course, point out that she is the candidate for
Bullwinkel, because that is a fact. In this place, minister, and the advice may
as well stand for everybody here, it is a fact that the member is a candidate
at the coming federal election, but when you refer to her in this place, she
should be referred to by the seat she represents currently.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr P. PAPALIA : Thank you,
Speaker. I withdraw the use of the term ''candidate for Bullwinkel''.
Obviously, the member for Central Wheatbelt is back in Western Australia after
her campaigning in Canberra for her future endeavours. That is a good thing.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order!
Mr P. PAPALIA : The safer gun
laws that we have passed through the Parliament have resulted in the safest gun
laws in the nation. They impose limits; they create mandatory disqualifying
offences and orders and overhaul the corrupt property letter system. They
provide for more onerous storage requirements, mandatory gun training for licence applicants and regular health assessments
for firearm owners, amongst other things. It is incredible, but clearly explainable and understandable now why the National Party opposes them. It is
because it is doing the bidding of the gun lobby.
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