The recent release of One Nation’s firearms policy has been given the thumbs up by the Shooters Union of Australia.
President Graham Park said that while the policies of the Shooter Fishers and Farmers Party - to regulate the person, not the object - were the best from his organisation’s point of view, both the Katter’s Australian Party and Pauline Hanson’s One Nation policies would be considered “firearms friendly”.
“We are still waiting to see the LNP’s policy, and the ALP signed the 2017 National Firearms Agreement without any consultation, so we’re not waiting for anything there,” he said. “They’re totally disinterested in regional voters.”
Mr Park said the One Nation policy released last week by state leader Steve Dickson wasn’t perfect but took major steps in the right direction, as it took into account the needs of people in regional areas with occupational reasons for gun use, and wasn’t focused solely on sporting shooters.
It says a One Nation state government would legislate for a general firearms amnesty for any person who wishes to surrender a firearm, or register an unregistered firearm, and streamline the current system of firearms licensing to make legitimate gun ownership less costly and convoluted.
It would standardise all firearm licenses to a 10 year renewal with no increase in fees, and review the Weapons Act regulations and categories in consultation with all stakeholders and industry experts within the first year of forming government.
Among the 21 points is also a desire to maintain the general principle of the National Firearms Agreement in restricting access to high-powered, high-capacity firearms.
Mr Park said the KAP policy was also “very good”, in that it was willing to evolve and listen to any reasonable suggestion.
“It’s a policy based on facts, not ideology,” he said.
Key parts include no support for recent amendments to the NFA agreed to by the state government at COAG, which KAP says were developed with adequate consultation and result in limiting the freedoms of licenced firearms owners.
“Of particular concern are the reclassification of lever action shotguns and limitations on the amount of ammunition that can be purchased,” state leader Rob Katter said.
It supports NFA changes that bring about national efficiency savings for police administration, a real-time firearm licence verification system, and it will ensure primary producers continue to be able to access category H weapons.
The LNP’s police spokesman, Tim Mander said his party would focus on a “commonsense approach to weapons licensing” that was based on “expert advice through proper consultation not emotion rhetoric or fear mongering”.
A proper Ministerial Weapons Advisory Panel will be re-established by the Liberal National Party, which will also look at improving screening processes through better use of technology, to crack down on criminals who steal firearms, not law-abiding firearm owners.
“The paper-based Permit to Acquire system is completely outdated and it makes a mockery of the current weapons registry system,” Mr Mander said.
The Minister for Police, Mark Ryan said the Palaszczuk government remained firmly committed to the National Firearms Agreement “developed by John Howard after the Port Arthur tragedy 21 years ago”.
“The government’s firearms policy is the law – the Weapons Act. The safety of Queenslanders is our number one priority,” Mr Ryan said.
Sally Gall
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
Based at Blackall, CW Qld, where I've raised a family, run Merino sheep and beef cattle, and helped develop a region - its history, tourism, education and communications. Get in touch at 0427 575 955 if you've got a story idea for me.
