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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 3 Hansard (25 March) . . Page.. 823 ..
MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):
The Firearms Regulations currently enable the Registrar of Firearms to issue a permit to an international shooter where that person is visiting the Territory, is normally resident in a country other than Australia, and is licensed or otherwise authorised in the person's country of residence to possess and use the type of firearm for which a permit is sought. The Registrar of Firearms also issues permits, on behalf of Australian Customs, to import firearms except for category C firearms which require importation approval from the Commonwealth Attorney-General. For competition target shooting purposes, category C firearms include self-loading and pump action shotguns with a magazine capacity of no more than five rounds.
At the APMC, I proposed that mutual recognition for the possession and use of category C firearms, for both international and interstate visitors, be restricted to two-shot semiautomatic or pump action shotguns which are required for clay target shooting. A similar restriction was proposed by me for the importation into Australia of category C firearms by international shooters. However, the APMC's decision was to endorse a uniform approach for the recognition of temporary international and interstate visitors attending jurisdictions for competitive target shooting which did not incorporate the two-shot restriction for category C firearms. In fact, some jurisdictions sought to extend the mutual recognition arrangements beyond those for purely competitive target shooting.
Mr Rugendyke: Mr Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.
A quorum not being present, and the bells being rung -
MR SPEAKER: Order! You cannot leave the chamber, gentlemen. Come back, please, both of you.
Mr Moore: Perhaps, Mr Speaker, you could explain to the Garran Primary School students what has happened.
MR SPEAKER: I noticed that Mr Quinlan was a little puzzled when we began today. The chamber is the area surrounded by those walls. If you are not inside that area you are not in the chamber for the purposes of the Assembly.
Mr Moore: Perhaps you could explain what a quorum is, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, it is probably a good opportunity. Thank you, Mr Moore. A quorum is nine of the 17 members - half plus one of the Assembly. I am looking at the hourglass to see if it is going to run out, but we have four minutes.
(Quorum formed)
MR HUMPHRIES
: I am grateful for the audience to hear my words of wisdom. Mr Speaker, I advised members on 18 January 1999 that legislation would be introduced to give effect to the principle that category C firearms brought into the ACT under this arrangement would be limited to two-shot semiautomatic and pump action shotguns.
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