GUN CONTROL
The Commonwealth and the States and Territories today agreed on a uniform and tougher approach to gun laws which will make Australia a safer place to live.
The agreement includes a ban on automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and a nationwide approach to registration and licensing.
This is an historic moment for all Australians still reeling from the fatal shootings at Port Arthur.
The Australian community demanded urgent and effective action on tougher gun laws and today all governments have answered that call with a comprehensive action plan which will deliver effective nationwide controls.
Wc have agreed to prohibit the importation, ownership, sale, resale, transfer, possession, manufacture or use of:
- all military-style centre-fire rifles including those which substantially duplicate military styles;
- all other self-loading centre-fire rifles;
- all self-loading and pump-action shotguns and
- all self-loading rim fire rifles.
The importation ban will be effective immediately.
The exceptions will be a limited range of official or occupational purposes certified by a permit.
In practice this will mean that primary producers can only have access to low-powered self-loading .22s and self-loading and pump-action shotguns if they can satisfy the police that they have a genuine need for them which cannot be met by any other methods or by non-prohibited weapons.
Action will be taken to strictly regulate mail orders.
These prohibitions will be enforced byv all jurisdictions as soon as the necessary legislation/regulations can be passed. All jurisdictions have agreed that this will be done as soon as possible.
All jurisdictions have also agreed to fair and proper compensation being paid and I will write to a1l Premiers and Chief Ministers next week on the details of the financing of this compensation for surrender scheme.
In addition all firearms will be registered as part of an integrated licensing system and linked nationally. There will be a comprehensive common approach to licensing which will ensure that only those persons who are fit and proper with a genuine reason and need for a firearm wvill have access to one.
Stringent storage requirements and compulsory safety training for first time licence applicants will be introduced in all jurisdictions.
There will be tight controls on the sale, advertising for sale and transfer of all firearms and ammunition both within jurisdictions and between them.
10 May 1996