Gun laws: Australia to get permanent firearms amnesty

New changes are coming to manage the rising amount of unregistered guns Aussies have to get dangerous weapons off the streets.

Australia will get a permanent national firearms amnesty in a renewed push to get dangerous weapons off the streets.

Crime Stoppers Australia has partnered with the Department of Home Affairs to back the permanent amnesty, which will allow people to hand in unregistered guns and weapon parts anonymously, and without penalty.

The move follows exclusive reports by News Corp in April showing that 25 years after the Port Arthur massacre, major loopholes had developed in Australia’s firearm laws, and a national firearms register had never been introduced.

States and territories have had numerous temporary firearm amnesties since April 1996, when a lone gunman opened fire at Port Arthur in Tasmania, killing 35 people and wounding 20 others.

A national firearms amnesty in 2017 saw 57,000 guns surrendered.

Assistant Minister for Community Safety Jason Wood said the amnesty would begin immediately, and allow anyone in Australia to hand in unregistered or unwanted firearms that could otherwise fall into the wrong hands.

“Unregistered firearms are a threat to our community. They are difficult to trace and can fall into the hands of criminals to commit terrible crimes while avoiding police detection,’’ Mr Wood said.

“An unwanted firearm can also be deadly. If not properly stored, there is always a risk that it could harm you or your loved ones.”

People can take their unregistered guns to police stations to have them registered or destroyed.

They can also take unregistered guns to a licensed firearms dealer, to attempt to have them registered, or to surrender them.

“If you have an unregistered firearm and you want to keep it, hand it in and see if you can register it. If you don’t want to keep your firearm, hand it in. Your community will thank you,” Mr Wood said.

Crime Stoppers is backing the amnesty by launching a campaign urging people to hand illicit firearms in.

Crime Stoppers Australia chair Diana Forrester said the organisation would deliver 65 community events across the nation urging people to hand in their unwanted or unregistered firearms.

“There are more than 26 million Australians who place the highest value on living in a safe community, and thousands of law-abiding people with registered firearms that they use for their work or hobby,’’ Ms Forrester said.

“Sadly it is the minority who use firearms to threaten and injure others, and it is important to limit the opportunity for these criminals to access and use firearms.

“All of us have seen the harm that is caused by the unlawful use of a firearm and the impact on community confidence that often follows, which is why we all have a part to play in making our community safer – that’s our aim.’’

Further information, including the process to surrender a firearm in each state or territory, is available at www.crimestoppers.com.au/firearmsamnesty