Tasmania Firearms Amendment
Bill 2007
Tasmania's Minister
for Police and Emergency Management, David
Llewellyn, introduced the
Firearms Amendment Bill 2007
into Parliament on 6 June 2007.
The Bill will amend a
number of sections in the Firearms Act 1996
Regulations and provide for further amendments to
the Police Offences Act 1935 to support the
Firearms legislation.
The Amendment Bill
makes provision for the following:
- strengthening
the licensing process for firearms dealers by
requiring the provision of details of dealers’
close associates, with the view to establishing
whether the close associate is a fit and proper
person within the definition required by the
Firearms Act 1996;
- define close
associate and allow for the non-granting or
cancellation of firearms dealers licenses based
on associations;
- place
restrictions on persons who may be employed by
firearms dealers which will include holding
specific firearm licences and allow for offence
provisions;
- provide for
indictable offences for unlawfully trafficking
in illegal firearms, which will include
conspiring to commit firearms offences in a
foreign jurisdiction;
- Increase
substantially the current penalties for certain
serious offences in the Firearms Act 1996;
- provide for
firearms used in the security industry to be
restricted in calibre to .38 inch or 9
millimetre, use, ownership and registration;
- restrict the
magazine capacity of certain firearms, allow for
permanently deactivated ornamental firearms and
ex-military items for collection purposes only;
- amend the
provisions for the safekeeping and transporting
of firearms;
- provide for
the disposal of firearms, the control of
injured, dangerous and diseased animals, the
collecting of valuable heirlooms and suspension
of licenses in certain circumstances;
- allow for the
clarification of certain sections and inclusions
to align the Act with the Family Violence Act
2004 and the repeal of section 146 of the
Firearms Act 1996;
- allow the
Commissioner of Police to issue an exemption for
people to possess sound suppressors, under
specific controls and firearm magazines under
section 155 of the Firearms Act 1996.
- allow active
non-sporting firearm licence holders to attend a
rifle range, sight their firearms, test
ammunition and increase their proficiency with
the firearm under section 26 of the Firearms
Act 1996;
- provide for
amendments to the Police Offences Act 1935
to:
- Allow for
increased penalties and the confiscation of
the vehicles, vessels, aircraft and firearms
from people who trespass whilst in
possession of a vehicle, vessel or aircraft
and/or firearm;
- Upon
conviction for that offence, forfeiture of
the firearm to the Crown and cancellation of
the firearms licence at the discretion of a
magistrate; and
- Allow for
the regulation of spotlights on vehicles
using public streets, to reduce the shooting
offences from public streets.
- provide for
amendments to the Firearms Regulations 2006,
in relation to the transporting of all firearms.
Consultation has
occurred with various organisations and individuals:
These include the
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, the
Tasmanian Firearms Owners Consultative Committee,
the Tasmanian Pistol Association, Tasmanian Branch
of the Australian Security Industry Association,
Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPAC) Local
Government Division, Local Government Association of
Tasmania, National Coalition for Gun Control, the
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association, the
Tasmanian Rifle Association, Van Dieman Pistol Club,
the Tasmanian Deer Association, the Department of
Primary Industries and Water (DPIW), the Tasmanian
Deer Advisory Committee and various firearms
dealers.
