To put you in the picture here is the email I sent.
I “borrowed” some of it and put the rest in.
Dear, Hon. Catherine Doust MLC,
I am writing to you today in regards to the National Cabinets unnecessary ban on the purchase of firearms and ammunition.
There is a perceived issue that firearm owners are stock piling firearms and ammunition which is being loosely related to preparing for an apocalyptic type scenario. This is quite simply incorrect for two reasons. Firstly, this time of year is coming up to what should have been duck and quail season as well as the deer rut. Like every year people are purchasing for planned hunting trips – which were unfortunately cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. This is another issue for discussion.
Secondly, with the current Australian dollar falling incredibly low, everyone has been expecting a price rise of 15 to 25 percent on new shipments of ammo and firearms. For this reason, those who have been saving up for a new rifle or are in need of ammo are purchasing before the impending price increase. Given the lengths one has to go to buy a firearm, it is impossible to go out and stockpile firearms. A permit to acquire must be paid for and submitted to be approved by the registrar; the buyer must then take the paid permit to the guns hop and hand it over when purchasing the firearm of choice. They can only buy a firearm that is described on the permit. Some states still have a 28 day waiting period before approval is sent out and W.A charge as much as $188.00 for one. To simply suggest someone is hurriedly stockpiling of firearms is made impossible based on the regulations outlined above.
Furthermore the vague suggestions that this is related to domestic violence situations is unfounded and to put it bluntly, offensive. Law Abiding Firearm Owners are some of the most highly vetted people in the country. We have held firearm licences and firearms for years. Our households already contain firearms and ammunition. To say we need to prohibit the sale of firearms and ammunition because we might commit domestic violence acts if we’re able to purchase them completely ignores the fact we already have these items in our household.
Regarding the link to DV statistically in between 2010 and 2014 (from the AUSTRALIAN DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE DEATH REVIEW NETWORK 2018 report)
• 48.8% of male DV offenders were using alcohol at the time of offence
• 50% of female DV offenders were using alcohol at the time of offence
• in the sample data in the report, for male offenders 31.4% used a sharp weapon (knife etc),
17.4% used no weapon,
15.7% strangled or suffocated. **
11.6% used a firearm** .
3.6% of female offenders use a firearm** .
82.1% used a sharp weapon.
So statistically, if the DV argument was to stand up, bottle shops should be shut, as alcohol, not gun ownership is far more likely to result in DV.
We acknowledge that some primary producers, armed security and professional pest controllers are still permitted to buy firearms and ammunition as normal. However, most farmers have a standard target/hunting or recreational licence, depending in which state they reside, purely because it is much to acquire due to considerable amount of paperwork involved to acquire a Primary Producer licence. The required firearms can be acquired on the standard target/hunting or recreation licence and as such there are now thousands of farmers who cannot go buy the tools they need to continue to upkeep their farm. Such a hasty decision from the National Cabinet has been failed to consider the wide spread implications to the broader community.
The Firearms branch is currently denying any applications submitted and only refunding a partial amount of the money, they are keeping an admin fee and any associated postage costs. This is simply unacceptable. There is no logical reason why they can not go through the normal process and if approved the applicant can be notified, they will not be able to collect any firearms due to the gun shop closures. If gun shops are to re-open then the applicant can be given a date as to when they may collect their firearm.
Regards,
