Premier Baird abandons his deputy Troy Grant over support of shotgun

PREMIER Mike Baird and state cabinet have failed to endorse Deputy Premier Troy Grant’s position on the Adler shotgun, supporting a continued ban on importing the shotgun until there is national agreement on whether it can be imported.

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PREMIER Mike Baird and state cabinet have failed to endorse Deputy Premier Troy Grant’s position on the Adler shotgun, supporting a continued ban on importing the shotgun until there is national agreement on whether it can be imported.

Cabinet has also resolved to take the shotgun away from category A but has not endorsed what category it should be.

Mr Grant had wanted the gun classified as category B — a move which would allow its importation — but cabinet has declined to endorse that ahead of a meeting of justice ministers on the gun tomorrow in Melbourne.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant. Picture: Peter Lorimer.

In a statement, Mr Grant’s office said: “The NSW Government has agreed today to support the Commonwealth ban on importing lever action shotguns with a capacity of more than five rounds until the gun is reclassified.

“Deputy Premier and Minister for Justice and Police Troy Grant said the NSW Government supports a strengthening of classification of the Adler A110 shotgun from its current A category to a tighter one.

“The NSW Government will always support the strong National Firearms Agreement and its focus will always be on illegal firearms and their harmful effects on the community,” Mr Grant said.

The Adler A110 shotgun cannot currently be imported.

“Our position represents a strengthening of the current A classification of the Adler, but the ultimate decision is a matter for national consensus.

“It is disappointing that once again Labor is putting rhetoric ahead of rationality in this debate, ultimately delaying national consensus on this important issue.

“For all their talk, the Shooters Party has proven to be ineffective at getting the Victorian Labor Government to a sensible position, despite sharing the balance of power in their upper house.

“I look forward to having a rational, evidence-based debate at the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council Meeting of Police and Justice Ministers tomorrow in Melbourne.

“My personal view remains that the appropriate position for national consensus on the Adler’s classification is category B, but NSW and all the other states and territories must come to a landing point.”