- Independent committee report endorses Firearms
Act 2024 to enhance community safety
- Family and domestic violence advocates
strongly support nation-leading firearm legislation
- Community safety is a key priority for the
Cook Government
An independent and comprehensive Parliamentary Committee report has
reaffirmed the Cook Government's firearm reforms.
The legislation, which was passed last year, underscores community
safety as a key priority.
Western Australia now has the toughest
firearms laws in the nation and is the only State to limit the number of guns
an individual can own and require health checks. Overall, the Committee found that the provisions set out in the Act and
Regulations were reasonable and justified, including:
- there
is an overriding need to ensure public safety in connection with the possession
and use of firearms in the community;
- that
the possession and use of firearms is a privilege that is always conditional on
the overriding need to ensure public safety; and
- that
public safety can be ensured by strict controls to secure the safe and
responsible possession and use of firearms in the community.
The Firearms Act 2024 came into
force on 31 March, overhauling half a century old legislation to prioritise
public safety.
These changes were made following years
of extensive consultation with firearms licence holders, industry stakeholders
medical professionals and members of the public including those impacted by
family and domestic violence.
A total of 67,000 firearms have now
been removed from the community, mostly from the Perth metropolitan area as
part of the buyback programs.
It is the largest reduction of firearms
anywhere in the nation since 1997 when then Prime Minister John Howard
introduced the National Firearms Agreement.
Using powers under the new laws, WA Police have seized 3,089 firearms -
taking weapons out of the hands of family and domestic violence offenders,
criminals and outlaw gang members.
The
Cook Government acknowledges the Legislative Council's Standing Committee's
work on this review of public policy and legislation and will consider the
report.
Comments
attributed to Police Minister Reece Whitby:
"The Cook Government is proud of its
strong firearms laws. At their very core they enhance community safety and the
report recognises this.
"We have seen that already, with WA Police using the new laws to remove
thousands of firearms from criminals, including people with links to bikie
gangs and family and domestic violence offenders.
"I want to thank the Legislative
Council's Standing Committee and will continue to work with stakeholders on the
implementation of these nation-leading laws."
Comments attributed to Prevention of Family
and Domestic Violence Minister Jessica Stojkovski:
"Our government will not waver in
its commitment to ensure firearms are kept out of the hands of those who use
them to intimidate or cause harm, particularly perpetrators of family and
domestic violence.
"Owning a firearm is a choice. Women
and children feeling safe is a right. We will keep engaging with licence
holders but our priority will always be protecting the Western Australian
community."
