❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier about extending the undersubscribed firearm buyback scheme, while the Premier defends the scheme's success and highlights ongoing amnesty provisions.
AnsweredQoN 590Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIREARMS BUYBACK PROGRAM
590. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would
also like to extend my congratulations to the member for Rockingham. It is a rather auspicious occasion, I think, to have a baby
here in the chamber for the first time, so congratulations, member , and
we look forward to many more sessions with your baby in the chamber with you.
I refer to the government's
undersubscribed firearm buyback scheme, which ended on 31 August and expended
only 18 per cent of the allocated funds, and to yesterday's media stunt
releasing a video of some of these firearms being blown up, apparently for
publicity purposes. In August, I wrote to the Minister for Police requesting
that the buyback be extended until the new regulations are in place to give
people greater certainty about whether they will have to surrender their
firearms. The Premier's minister failed to respond, so I ask the
Premier: will the government extend the buyback period for an additional six
months?
590. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, I would
also like to extend my congratulations to the member for Rockingham. It is a rather auspicious occasion, I think, to have a baby
here in the chamber for the first time, so congratulations, member , and
we look forward to many more sessions with your baby in the chamber with you.
I refer to the government's
undersubscribed firearm buyback scheme, which ended on 31 August and expended
only 18 per cent of the allocated funds, and to yesterday's media stunt
releasing a video of some of these firearms being blown up, apparently for
publicity purposes. In August, I wrote to the Minister for Police requesting
that the buyback be extended until the new regulations are in place to give
people greater certainty about whether they will have to surrender their
firearms. The Premier's minister failed to respond, so I ask the
Premier: will the government extend the buyback period for an additional six
months?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and join everyone else in welcoming the member for Rockingham back, with baby
Bowie. In the by-election campaign that saw Magenta Marshall elected as the
member for Rockingham, the Liberal Party got
one thing right. It said she was a young woman who might just go away and have
a baby! I welcome Bowie into the chamber.
As the Leader of the Opposition
observed, the gun buyback period has concluded now, with many tens of thousands
of guns handed in—the biggest gun buyback scheme since the Port Arthur
massacre under the national scheme implemented by the Liberal Prime Minister
John Howard. John Howard had it right. He understood that by eliminating the
number of guns in the community, we put downward pressure on and we reduce the
chance of those guns getting into the hands of others, making sure that those
who are intent on criminal behaviour do not have easy access to guns, be they
licensed or unlicensed. It is very pleasing to see how successful that gun
buyback was—as I said, a record for Western Australia.
The member opposite made the
observation that some of the guns were blown up as part of a publicity stunt.
That is not the case. My understanding is that it is a normal procedure that is
done. Obviously, we do not publicise the place where these guns are sometimes
blown up because it is a police operational matter, so I will not comment any further on that. It was not for the benefit of
the media; it was for the benefit of the people of Western Australia—to
keep them safe. That goes in partnership with our new firearms reforms, which
are the most extensive reforms of firearms laws in this country on record.
Members will be very pleased to
hear that there is an ongoing amnesty in relation to firearms, so anyone can
take a firearm, whether it is licensed or unlicensed, and surrender it to the
police, which is important to make sure there is further opportunity to get
unnecessary firearms out of the system. The buyback scheme has now concluded.
It was massive, at well over 60 000
firearms. Many tens of thousands of firearms were surrendered. There were some
automatic rifles, rifles and some handguns. I do not know why anyone would need
a handgun. Pleasingly, 50 per cent of those were within the metropolitan
area, which is an incredibly welcome development.
Under our firearms laws, legitimate
firearm owners, particularly farmers, competitive shooters and so on, are well
catered for. The laws do not deny people the ability to own guns, particularly
those who use them in the course of their
work. They are about getting unnecessary firearms off the streets and out of
the community as much as possible .
and join everyone else in welcoming the member for Rockingham back, with baby
Bowie. In the by-election campaign that saw Magenta Marshall elected as the
member for Rockingham, the Liberal Party got
one thing right. It said she was a young woman who might just go away and have
a baby! I welcome Bowie into the chamber.
As the Leader of the Opposition
observed, the gun buyback period has concluded now, with many tens of thousands
of guns handed in—the biggest gun buyback scheme since the Port Arthur
massacre under the national scheme implemented by the Liberal Prime Minister
John Howard. John Howard had it right. He understood that by eliminating the
number of guns in the community, we put downward pressure on and we reduce the
chance of those guns getting into the hands of others, making sure that those
who are intent on criminal behaviour do not have easy access to guns, be they
licensed or unlicensed. It is very pleasing to see how successful that gun
buyback was—as I said, a record for Western Australia.
The member opposite made the
observation that some of the guns were blown up as part of a publicity stunt.
That is not the case. My understanding is that it is a normal procedure that is
done. Obviously, we do not publicise the place where these guns are sometimes
blown up because it is a police operational matter, so I will not comment any further on that. It was not for the benefit of
the media; it was for the benefit of the people of Western Australia—to
keep them safe. That goes in partnership with our new firearms reforms, which
are the most extensive reforms of firearms laws in this country on record.
Members will be very pleased to
hear that there is an ongoing amnesty in relation to firearms, so anyone can
take a firearm, whether it is licensed or unlicensed, and surrender it to the
police, which is important to make sure there is further opportunity to get
unnecessary firearms out of the system. The buyback scheme has now concluded.
It was massive, at well over 60 000
firearms. Many tens of thousands of firearms were surrendered. There were some
automatic rifles, rifles and some handguns. I do not know why anyone would need
a handgun. Pleasingly, 50 per cent of those were within the metropolitan
area, which is an incredibly welcome development.
Under our firearms laws, legitimate
firearm owners, particularly farmers, competitive shooters and so on, are well
catered for. The laws do not deny people the ability to own guns, particularly
those who use them in the course of their
work. They are about getting unnecessary firearms off the streets and out of
the community as much as possible .
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