Page 1311 - Week 04 - Thursday, 30 March 2017
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ACT government understands the ACT firearms registry’s concerns with the bill and acknowledges their views on the importance of safety. However, the views of the Australian and Canberra community are important as well.
Unlike significant changes to firearms laws over the last 20 years, the bill we are introducing today will have no financial impact on the ACT. No ACT firearms owners will be required to surrender their firearms. Following a review of lever action shotguns in the ACT, the ACT firearms registry reported that there were four firearms licensees with lever action shotguns held under a category A licence only. All four licensees met the criteria for a category B licence and, after discussion with the firearms registry, they have had their licences changed to category A-B. The registry also confirmed there are no registered lever action shotguns in the ACT with a magazine capacity of over five rounds.
The government respects the needs of firearms licensees in the ACT and aims to ensure that those who have access to and use firearms do so for reasonable and legitimate purposes. The new category for lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds will bring the treatment of these firearms into line with the restrictions on magazine capacities already in place. Pump action shotguns and self-loading shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than five rounds are already category D.
Category D firearms are subject to the highest level of control and only accessible to professional shooters and primary producers who can establish that they have a genuine need that cannot be met by another firearm. The changes in the bill strike an appropriate balance between the right of the community to live safely and securely and the interests of licensed firearm users. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Hanson) adjourned to the next sitting.
Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2017
Mr Ramsay, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MR RAMSAY (Ginninderra—Attorney-General, Minister for Regulatory Services, Minister for the Arts and Community Events and Minister for Veterans and Seniors) (10.37): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
I am pleased to present the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2017. This is a comprehensive bill which makes amendments to several acts and one regulation and repeals two directions. The amendments in this bill are designed to improve the operation of legislation and to make positive changes for the ACT community. This is the second Justice and Community Safety bill introduced in
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