Libs’ plan on guns open to change

SPORTING shooters have urged Premier Will Hodgman to stick by an election promise to change the state’s gun laws.

Mr Hodgman yesterday said his Government was open to abandoning its controversial firearms reforms if they were found to breach the National Firearms Agreement.

The State Government plans changes to gun laws which would double some licences from five to 10 years. and give wider access to Category C firearms such as semi-automatic rifles, self-loading rifles and pump-action shotguns.

Sporting Shooters of Australia Tasmanian president Andrew Judd said the Premier had taken the proposed reforms to the election

“He made election commitments and the party did through him, to all shooters of Tasmania. They made it quite clear they had to be in majority government to do it,” he said.

“We went to our members based on that. It was commonsense changes taking into account public safety, the broader community, farmers, shooters and we would hope that the Premier would be good to his word.”

Mr Judd said 10-year terms on firearms licences were already in place in two states.

“What I’d like people to understand, including the Premier, is that at no stage has the National Firearms Agreement been legally binding on any state or territory.

“It’s up to the state or territory to have the laws that reflect their state. It’s not law. Most states already vary from the NFA in some form.

“We’re trying to institute sensible, logical changes that have already been tried in other states.”

But Roland Browne, of Gun Control Australia, said the Government must not deviate from the NFA

“It’s plain that the policy announced in January will be breaching the NFA, everyone seems to accept that except the Premier and members of the Government,” he said.

“What worries me is that this is a real embarrassment to Tasmania, which led the re- forms from 1996.” Mr Browne called on Mr Hodgman to abandon the planned changes.

The Liberals came under attack in State Parliament yesterday over the plans, which were revealed shortly before the March State Election.

The NFA placed tight restrictions on the ownership of fully and semi-automatic weapons and imposed tighter rules around justifications for owning and using firearms and how they are stored.

It also specifies a maximum licence period of five years.

Police have advised the Government the changes may not conform to the national agreement.

Mr Hodgman told Parliament yesterday his Government would not breach the NFA.

“If there is any suggestion that what we propose to do by way of policy or legislation does contravene the NFA, then we will not do it,” he said.

“The Parliamentary Inquiry which we are quite prepared to participate in and support, will allow all matters to be considered.”