Former top cop Terry Goldsworthy warns gun theft rates on the Gold Coast is rising

For almost 30 years, Australia has been the international gold standard when it comes to gun control. But crime stats on the Coast show we might be getting complacent

Criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy speaking about rate of gun theft rising. Picture: Nigel Hallett

It’s time to stick to our guns.

For almost 30 years, Australia has been the international gold standard when it comes to gun control.

But are we getting too complacent?

Looking at the latest figures for crimes involving weapons on the Gold Coast, it could be time to set some new targets.

Data obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin and verified by an independent crime statistics expert revealed the number of armed robberies across the city jumped nearly 80 per cent in just 12 months from 43 to August in 2022 up to 76 for the same period this year.

The number of charges relating to illegal firearms has also increased by more than 44 per cent in a year, 23 offences have been recorded to August – up from 16 in 2022.

However, it’s important to caution against public panic, despite the fact that this week two gunmen remained at-large after spraying a Coomera home with bullets on Monday night as families watched on.

Instead, what we must do is set our sights on anything we can do to prevent the next gun crime.

It’s still less than a year since the entire country was rocked after the fatal shooting of two Queensland police officers and a neighbour after an ambush from a Wieambilla property.

An aerial view of the scene at a property in Wieambilla where the shooting took place. Source: Nine

That tragedy sparked renewed calls for a national firearm register – a proposal first suggested in the wake of the Hoddle and Queen street massacres 35 years ago.

Every time a major gun crime occurs, there is another push for that proposal, which would allow police officers in any location in Australia to access the same information in real time, thereby determining if a person holds an interstate gun licence, while also helping to track guns and gun owners across the country.

However, this time, it seems we’re finally getting somewhere. In June, all state police ministers met in Brisbane and unanimously agreed on options to be put to national cabinet.

But there’s another aspect we need to think about: reducing the overall number of guns in circulation.

Every gun legally purchased in this country can become an illicit weapon in the hands of a criminal, no matter the initial good intentions of the registered owner.

Here on the Gold Coast, that’s a real issue with the city already considered a capital for gun ownership.

Of course we can’t get rid of every gun, but we could stand to cut back again on the number legally allowed.

In fact, that’s what Western Australia intends with its overhaul of gun laws.

The state is set to become the first jurisdiction in the country to limit the number of guns someone can own, with the Firearm Act review limiting recreational shooters to owning five guns and farmers restricted to 10.

Firearms Act, State Government prepares to consider a review, gun seller Larry Collinson, of South East Firearms, Sorell, with a category A firearm, a .22 rifle (left) and a category C firearm, a 12 gauge pump-action shotgun (right)

The WA Government said that, over the past five years, on average one firearm was stolen in the state every day.

“Since 2009, WA’s firearm numbers have increased 65 per cent to more than 360,000,” said WA Police Minister Paul Papalia.

“If there are fewer firearms in the community, there are fewer opportunities for them to be used illegally.”

WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch said licensed firearms could quickly become illicit firearms and were traded in the underworld.

“That is why it is so important that we make sure that only firearms that need to be in the community remain licensed, and that they are stored and secured appropriately by their owners.”

Meanwhile, Bond University associate professor in criminology and former Gold Coast top cop Terry Goldsworthy, said that a gun limit was a worthy proposal, given any stolen gun was an issue.

In a federal report he contributed to in 2015, Mr Goldsworthy said the issue of stolen guns was concerning.

“The rate of gun theft in Australia continues to go up by about six per cent per year,” he said at the time.

Criminologist Dr Terry Goldsworthy speaking about rate of gun theft rising. Picture: Nigel Hallett

“We have fairly strong rule of law in Australia, we have fairly rigorous border protection and services. On the basis of that I would think that, if I were a criminal looking to source a weapon, that is probably the route I would take.”

Speaking this week, Mr Goldsworthy said the increasing number of gun and violent crimes on the Gold Coast should be a focus for police.

“This is not a trend yet, but it is a concerning number of incidents that we don’t want to see develop into a trend,” he said.

“Police need to make sure they are focusing on this rather than consorting laws.”

There’s no denying that Australia set the benchmark for gun control measures, but there’s plenty of ammunition to argue that there is still more we can do to make the country, and this city, the safest it can be.