❓ Opposition questions the government's decision to allow firearm licence renewals at Australia Post, citing safety concerns. The Minister clarifies that Australia Post only handles applications, with the police firearms branch retaining approval authority.
AnsweredQoN 885Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIREARM LICENCES — AUSTRALIA POST
I refer to the recent Auditor General’s report that stated that the Western Australia Police are not adequately regulating and overseeing the possession, use, dealing in and manufacturing of firearm licences. I refer to the multiple shootings in Narrogin and Mandurah over the weekend and the minister’s comments in this house on 11 November 2009, as follows — I believe that if a person is deemed responsible enough to be given a firearms licence, it does not matter whether that person has one firearm or six firearms; that person will be … responsible … (1) Will the minister confirm that as of this month his government has privatised gun licensing to staff at Australia Post? (2) Does the minister still consider that it is acceptable for firearm licences to be renewed at post offices? (3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
I refer to the recent Auditor General’s report that stated that the Western Australia Police are not adequately regulating and overseeing the possession, use, dealing in and manufacturing of firearm licences. I refer to the multiple shootings in Narrogin and Mandurah over the weekend and the minister’s comments in this house on 11 November 2009, as follows — I believe that if a person is deemed responsible enough to be given a firearms licence, it does not matter whether that person has one firearm or six firearms; that person will be … responsible … (1) Will the minister confirm that as of this month his government has privatised gun licensing to staff at Australia Post? (2) Does the minister still consider that it is acceptable for firearm licences to be renewed at post offices? (3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(2) Does the minister still consider that it is acceptable for firearm licences to be renewed at post offices? (3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(2) Does the minister still consider that it is acceptable for firearm licences to be renewed at post offices? (3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(3) What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post to ensure that firearms are re-licensed safely and appropriately? Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON replied: I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question. (1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
(1)-(3) I think the Leader of the Opposition has taken this issue out of context. We are certainly not privatising the licensing of firearms—full stop. We are not privatising that at all. Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.H. Cook : So you don’t keep doing it? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : No; please! What we are doing is trying to ensure that renewals of firearm licences can be made through the post office. That is not to say that the post office will tick off and say, “Yes, you can have a firearm licence.” The applications simply go through the post office and are then sent on to the firearms branch, where they are dealt with and approved. That is for existing firearm licence holders. Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr J.H.D. Day : Renewals. Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Renewals, exactly. Somebody who applies for a new firearm licence, who does not already hold a firearm licence, will have to go to the police station and do it in the way it has always been done; he will have to pass the various tests that are in place to ensure that people are responsible, suitable and considered able to obtain a firearm licence. The purpose of renewals going through the post office is simply to alleviate the backlog that is occurring in some of our police stations. Until now people have had to go to a police station simply to renew a firearm licence or to apply for an additional firearm licence. That takes up the time of police officers in police stations. This government wants police to do actual policing work out on the streets; we want to get them out there doing the job they are supposed to do. We do not want them simply to be a receptacle for taking firearm licence renewals—I stress renewals—and doing the work that could be done quite easily by a post office. In simple terms, that is all we are doing. We are not in any way loosening the need for integrity checks or the normal standards and procedures for anybody who wants a firearm licence. We take this issue very seriously, and certainly the police do. Once the police have done all their checks, a person may be able to obtain a firearm licence. People who already have a firearm licence have been through all those checks. Both the commissioner and I believe that this measure is probably more appropriate, rather than have people go through the hoops every time they want to add a firearm to their collection. They may be Sporting Shooters’ Association members who need different types of firearms to carry out their sport of target shooting. We are trying to streamline re-licensing and additional licensing for existing firearm holders. I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
I am not quite sure what the last part of the question was. What was the last part of the question? Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : What checks and quality assurance measures will be undertaken by Australia Post? Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
Mr R.F. JOHNSON : Those will not be undertaken by Australia Post. Australia Post will simply be the receptacle for renewal applications for firearm licences and for additions to firearm licences. Those applications will be sent through to the firearms department, which will then assess them. There will still be assessments, obviously. If the firearms department believes that the person who is applying has been a responsible existing firearm licence holder, it will then accept the renewal if that person has not fallen foul of the existing criteria for obtaining a firearm licence, and I assume it will accept it if it believes it is acceptable for the firearm licence holder to add to his or her firearm collection. It is as simple as that.
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