❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier on the Firearms Act 2024, highlighting community concerns and requesting an extension to the firearm license transition period. The Premier defends the reforms, emphasizing community safety and citing support from the Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing.
AnsweredQoN 179Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Firearms Act
179. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I refer to
government members' support in the Legislative Council for the opposition's
motion to refer the Firearms Act 2024 to
the Standing Committee on Legislation, a clear backflip after months of
dismissing widespread community concern.
(1) Does the Premier accept that the laws, which
were rammed through the other place, are potentially flawed, leading to these
months of community outrage?
(2) Will the government extend the transition
period for firearm licences from three months to 12 months?
179. Mr Shane Love to the Premier:
I refer to
government members' support in the Legislative Council for the opposition's
motion to refer the Firearms Act 2024 to
the Standing Committee on Legislation, a clear backflip after months of
dismissing widespread community concern.
(1) Does the Premier accept that the laws, which
were rammed through the other place, are potentially flawed, leading to these
months of community outrage?
(2) Will the government extend the transition
period for firearm licences from three months to 12 months?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) We know our nation-leading gun
reforms put community safety first. That is the fundamental design of these
laws, which is to keep Western Australians safe, and they are safer today
because of our gun law reforms. We know that most gun owners are law-abiding
citizens, which is why we are helping them transition to the new laws in a
phased approach. Because of our gun laws we have removed over 50,000 guns out
of the Perth suburbs. Since these laws have come into being 2,300 guns have
been seized as part of our measures to keep people safe, particularly people
who are at risk of being victims of family and domestic violence. This is what
it is about; it is about keeping people safe.
I reflect on a release from the
Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing yesterday, which calls on the
opposition to stop politicising important reforms—stop the
politicisation. The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing says:
We
call on those opposing the reforms to stop politicising laws which will keep
guns out of the hands of perpetrators.
It goes on to say to
say that it is "alarmed—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Member for Belmont! Member for Central Wheatbelt, this is a question from your
party to the Premier. Do not shout across the chamber like that.
Mr Roger Cook: The release continues:
The Centre for Women's Safety and
Wellbeing … is alarmed by attempts to halt the government's new firearm
reforms, which are an essential step toward making our community safer.
The reforms acknowledge that a
perpetrator of family and domestic violence cannot and must not be considered a
'fit and proper person' to hold a gun licence.
The release goes on
to say:
CEO … said she was deeply
concerned by attempts to undermine these important changes to the Firearms Act.
She went on to say:
"Any delaying to these reforms
coming into effect, we are leaving women and children vulnerable to the threat
of serious harm."
These are the people
on the front line. These are the people who are meeting women every day of the
week and, sadly, every night of the week—people who are afraid for
their lives because of the perpetrators that they are victims of. This speaks
for itself. The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing, those people who see
the harm of family and domestic violence every day, is urging the opposition to
do the right thing, get behind our gun law reforms, make Western Australia
safer and, most importantly of all, stop politicising this debate.
reforms put community safety first. That is the fundamental design of these
laws, which is to keep Western Australians safe, and they are safer today
because of our gun law reforms. We know that most gun owners are law-abiding
citizens, which is why we are helping them transition to the new laws in a
phased approach. Because of our gun laws we have removed over 50,000 guns out
of the Perth suburbs. Since these laws have come into being 2,300 guns have
been seized as part of our measures to keep people safe, particularly people
who are at risk of being victims of family and domestic violence. This is what
it is about; it is about keeping people safe.
I reflect on a release from the
Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing yesterday, which calls on the
opposition to stop politicising important reforms—stop the
politicisation. The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing says:
We
call on those opposing the reforms to stop politicising laws which will keep
guns out of the hands of perpetrators.
It goes on to say to
say that it is "alarmed—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Member for Belmont! Member for Central Wheatbelt, this is a question from your
party to the Premier. Do not shout across the chamber like that.
Mr Roger Cook: The release continues:
The Centre for Women's Safety and
Wellbeing … is alarmed by attempts to halt the government's new firearm
reforms, which are an essential step toward making our community safer.
The reforms acknowledge that a
perpetrator of family and domestic violence cannot and must not be considered a
'fit and proper person' to hold a gun licence.
The release goes on
to say:
CEO … said she was deeply
concerned by attempts to undermine these important changes to the Firearms Act.
She went on to say:
"Any delaying to these reforms
coming into effect, we are leaving women and children vulnerable to the threat
of serious harm."
These are the people
on the front line. These are the people who are meeting women every day of the
week and, sadly, every night of the week—people who are afraid for
their lives because of the perpetrators that they are victims of. This speaks
for itself. The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing, those people who see
the harm of family and domestic violence every day, is urging the opposition to
do the right thing, get behind our gun law reforms, make Western Australia
safer and, most importantly of all, stop politicising this debate.
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