Page 3786 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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I was surprised to see the volume of response. I believe there were over 700 written or other approaches received on this Bill. I am able to advise members that the Alliance Government will soon consider proposals for changes to the Weapons Bill arising out of the consultative process. In due course, I will present in the Assembly which I believe will have wide community support, a new Weapons Bill will reflect the input of those with whom consultation has taken place, and represents a balanced response to the recommendations of the national committee on violence in respect of firearms issues.
Nevertheless, the associated Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 1990 will not be subject to change arising out of those consultations I have referred to. It is the Government's view that it is desirable that protections afforded by the Bill, together with amendments which I shall move in the detail stage of this debate, be put in place immediately. I outlined the effect of the Bill when presenting the Bill in the Assembly. The amendments which I will propose will enable the Bill to be brought into effect upon its notification in the Gazette and will apply the provisions of the Bill to a licensee under the existing Gun Licence Act 1937, rather than to a licensee under the Weapons Bill.
These amendments will ensure that, where a domestic violence protection order or interim order is made against a person who holds a gun or pistol licence under the Act, that licence may be cancelled or suspended respectively. The court may also order the seizure of any gun or pistol in the former licensee's possession. By way of explanation, the real initiative for this matter is the impending Christmas season and the uncertainty - although it is the Government's hope - as to whether we will have the Weapons Bill through this Assembly before Christmas. As members know, that is regrettably and tragically a season of domestic violence. Cabinet decided only this Monday that we should move quickly to bring this protection in at this stage, despite the fact that the references in the Bill deal with outdated terminology in relation to pistols and guns. It is the best we can do in the circumstances. I do trust that members of the Opposition will join with the Government in supporting this very desirable interim reform.
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (10.52): Mr Speaker, we do indeed support the Bill which Mr Collaery has introduced, and we support also the amendments which he has circulated this morning. And, of course, we would support any initiative taken which would provide additional protection against domestic violence. I have spoken in this Assembly and elsewhere about New South Wales police statistics which indicate that almost half of all female murder victims were killed by their spouse. In about half of those killings there was in fact previous evidence of domestic violence. The statistics also make it clear that the availability of firearms increases the risk of violent death.
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