Relax weapon laws, says senator

AUSTRALIANS should be armed with non-lethal weapons, including pepper spray and Tasers, to help combat low-tech terrorists such as the London Bridge knife attackers, a key crossbench senator says.

Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm said that, as an additional deterrent to stop terrorists in their tracks, offduty police officers should be allowed to carry guns in public.

Senator Leyonhjelm said state-based laws banning civilians carrying stun guns and mace needed to be overturned to help Australians survive low-grade terror attacks. “It’s quite tragic that we are prevented by law from carrying non-lethal means of self-defence of any description,” the NSW senator said.

Ownership, possession and use of Tasers by civilians is prohibited in Australia.