IMAGINE you’ve had your gun licence for years without any issues – and then you go to renew it, and receive a “Show Cause” notice.
You haven’t done anything wrong and are an upstanding, productive member of society. Why are the police threatening to take your licence away?
Because someone else who lives at your address is not considered a “Fit & Proper Person” to have a gun licence, and therefore the police don’t think you should be able to keep your guns there anymore.
Which other person? They won’t tell you. What is this other person alleged to have done? They won’t tell you, citing “Privacy Reasons”.
Is your flatmate a drug dealer? Does your spouse have a criminal conviction you don’t know about? Is one of your family at the same address in trouble with the police? The police won’t say.
What they will say is that unless you explain in detail how someone – and they won’t say who – can’t access your guns at all (even though they’re already in a gun safe which only you have the keys for, as per the legislation), you’re not getting your licence renewed.
It sounds like a Kafka-esque nightmare but it is a reality for an increasing number of our members – and the scenario we outlined has actually happened to more than one person.
Historically the authorities have only used this power in serious cases, such as someone living with a convicted armed robber etc – however, now we are seeing it suddenly occur for the most minor issues, which we do not believe are even faintly relevant or fair.
This is clearly yet another example of police forces finding new ways to make life difficult for law-abiding firearms owners and we need to push back on it now.
If this happens to you, we need you to do three things.
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Tell us right away so we can help you – please e-mail [email protected]
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Write to your local MP about this infringement on the civil liberties of your household - you can find their contact details on your State Parliament website.
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Contact the Police Minister in your state and ask him to tell the police to stop clutching at straws and harassing law-abiding firearms users. We’ve even created a tool to help you do it, if you are in Queensland! https://shootersunion.com.au/ministerial-email-generator/
We’ll have more on this issue soon – but in the meantime, be aware it is happening and be prepared to start getting active in fighting against it!