❓ Hon Rick Mazza questions the Attorney General regarding a news report on flaws in the Firearms Act 1973 and police powers to seize firearms. The Attorney General clarifies the scope of the Law Reform Commission's review and addresses the seizure issue with reservations.
AnsweredQoN 408Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
FIREARMS ACT 1973 — REVIEW
408. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Attorney
General representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to my question without
notice 384 asked yesterday, 10 May, when I referred to a Channel Nine news
report, ''Firearms Black Market'', in which it was stated that
the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia was undertaking a review of the
Firearms Act following the identification of flaws in the legislation. The
report went on to state that police are currently unable to seize firearms even
when a licensed firearms owner is charged with offences.
Can the minister confirm —
(1) that a review of the Firearms
Act was not instigated due to flaws being identified; and
(2) whether the
statement ''that police are unable to seize the firearms of licensed
firearms owners charged with offences'' was incorrect?
408. Hon RICK MAZZA to the Attorney
General representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to my question without
notice 384 asked yesterday, 10 May, when I referred to a Channel Nine news
report, ''Firearms Black Market'', in which it was stated that
the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia was undertaking a review of the
Firearms Act following the identification of flaws in the legislation. The
report went on to state that police are currently unable to seize firearms even
when a licensed firearms owner is charged with offences.
Can the minister confirm —
(1) that a review of the Firearms
Act was not instigated due to flaws being identified; and
(2) whether the
statement ''that police are unable to seize the firearms of licensed
firearms owners charged with offences'' was incorrect?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for
Police, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The Law
Reform Commission of Western Australia was tasked to review the Firearms Act
1973 under the following terms of reference —
1.
provide advice on and recommend appropriate legislative and/or procedural
changes with regard to the licensing and storage of firearms, definitions and
categorisation of firearms, and effects of changes in firearm technology
incorporating national initiatives where appropriate.
2.
provide advice on and recommend appropriate legislative changes regarding
penalties for firearm offences and, in so doing, consider consistency with
penalties in other Australian states and territories.
3.
review any relevant issues arising from the recent 'Operation
Unification', the Auditor General's Reports on firearms
licensing, Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation Report 68,
Explanatory Report in relation to the Firearms Amendment Regulations 2013 and
any other relevant Parliamentary Inquiry.
4. provide advice
on any other relevant matters.
(2) Without
knowing the full extent of the alleged statement and the context in which it
was made, it is not possible to comment. However, I refer the member to the
answer to Legislative Council question without notice 384 of 2016.
Police, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The Law
Reform Commission of Western Australia was tasked to review the Firearms Act
1973 under the following terms of reference —
1.
provide advice on and recommend appropriate legislative and/or procedural
changes with regard to the licensing and storage of firearms, definitions and
categorisation of firearms, and effects of changes in firearm technology
incorporating national initiatives where appropriate.
2.
provide advice on and recommend appropriate legislative changes regarding
penalties for firearm offences and, in so doing, consider consistency with
penalties in other Australian states and territories.
3.
review any relevant issues arising from the recent 'Operation
Unification', the Auditor General's Reports on firearms
licensing, Joint Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation Report 68,
Explanatory Report in relation to the Firearms Amendment Regulations 2013 and
any other relevant Parliamentary Inquiry.
4. provide advice
on any other relevant matters.
(2) Without
knowing the full extent of the alleged statement and the context in which it
was made, it is not possible to comment. However, I refer the member to the
answer to Legislative Council question without notice 384 of 2016.
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