Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 7 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2598 ..

MS DUNDAS

trying to do here in the ACT off the drawing board. But I do not buy the argument that we have to have uniform laws in this area and that the reason we cannot proceed with these amendments is that it will move us out of step.

We are pretty much a city-state, with no need for hand guns in our community, and we should take a stand. We do not have to be the same as New South Wales. In the same way the ACT has different regulatory approaches to brothels, porn, cannabis, fireworks and gaming machines-just to name a few areas-why not have a separate approach to possession of firearms?

Many times we hear in this chamber how we take a different approach to law and order, concentrating on rehabilitation and an end to recidivism-an approach much different from our interstate colleagues. Yet the only argument I have heard from this government on why we are not taking a tough stand in regard to this piece of legislation is that we have to agree with the other states. Well, I am afraid that we should not leave hand guns in the community just because we want to have the same laws as Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales or the Northern Territory.

There are a number of hand guns in the community. If we banned them, our registered shooters would still be able to actively compete in international events, and the Commonwealth and Olympic games. I hope that the minister will consider listing some of these guns, on top of the guns listed by the federal government. I understand that the federal government have a list of 8,000 or 9,000 makes, models and accessories that would be banned.

Unfortunately for the Assembly, the government and the community, this list is not available. In the absence of this information, I have compiled my own list. Although not comprehensive, it is a list of weapons about which it is not clear whether they fall inside or outside the banned list and which I believe are not required for any international, Olympic or Commonwealth game competitions. I have been unable to ascertain whether they will be banned or not. I seek leave to table this list of weapons.

Leave granted.

MS DUNDAS

Firearms - Copy of list depicting make, model, type, calibre, magazine capacity and barrel of pistols.

I have already shown it to some members. The list contains over 100 weapons, including the Smith and Wesson .357 magnum, which was the model used by Richard Dern when he walked into the Nanterre town hall in France and shot eight councillors. The Smith and Wesson .357 and the Browning 9 millimetre were the hand guns used by Thomas Hamilton when he killed 16 children, a teacher and himself in Scotland. The .357 magnum may now remain legal because it is hard to conceal; however, it is a gun that is not necessary for target shooting and is a danger in our community. Just because you can see a gun coming does not mean that the bullet won't hurt as much.

I have also included in the list a number of SIG pistols. A SIG-Sauer was used in Switzerland in September 2001, when a man walked into a regional parliament and shot

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .