Our gun laws must never be softened, says Tasmanian independent Senator Jacqui Lambie

TASMANIAN Senator Jacqui Lambie says she will never support any weakening of gun laws to allow the importation of a lever-action shotgun which can shoot more than five rounds.

Tasmanian independent Senator Jacqui Lambie in Federal Parliament earlier this month. Picture: AAP

TASMANIAN Senator Jacqui Lambie says she will never support any weakening of gun laws to allow the importation of a lever-action shotgun which can shoot more than five rounds.

Senator Lambie’s pledge not to bargain her Senate vote in relation to gun laws comes as New South Wales Liberal Democrat and crossbench Senator David Leyonhjelm has sought the lifting of a ban on the Adler A110 shotgun in exchange for his support for the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

The Adler shotgun can carry up to eight rounds, which can be shot in eight seconds.

Senator Leyonhjelm said yesterday he had been dudded by the Federal Government over an agreement to lift the 12-month sunset clause on the banning of the weapon.

He said he had supported a Migration Act amendment on biometrics on the understanding the ban would be lifted.

Fellow crossbencher Senator Lambie does not support the restoration of the ABCC.

But she said gun laws represented a line in the sand for her.

After initially indicating that gun laws were in the hands of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull later told Parliament Australia’s strong gun laws were one of the Coalition’s proudest achievements, made in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, and would not be watered down.

Senator David Leyonhjelm says he has been dudded by over the importation of the Adler lever-action shotgun.

“It’s one of the great prides of the Coalition that following the Port Arthur massacre John Howard took the lead and introduced the new firearms legislation,” Mr Turnbull said.

“Thousands of guns were returned and destroyed and what we now have is very strict firearm laws.

“We stand by the national firearms agreement, we are supporting that with an import ban.

“The national firearms agreement is our achievement, John Howard’s achievement, not Labor’s achievement.”

Tasmanian Labor Senator Carol Brown said Australia must never water down its world leading gun laws made after such a tragedy.

The gun debate dominated Federal Parliament.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten interrupted the usual business of parliament to move a motion noting the House of Representatives would never put Australians at risk by watering down gun laws.

“That the Prime Minister is so wounded, so weak that he will do any deal to try and harm and destroy the representatives of working people,” he told MPs.

Mr Shorten said Mr Turnbull had five opportunities during media interviews yesterday morning to rule out a deal.

“His refusal to do so shows at best he is contemplating doing it. At worst, he’s already agreed to do it,” he said.

Gun laws should be made with the unanimous view of the parliament, Mr Shorten said.

“Gun control should not be a political play thing.”

But Mr Turnbull said the Government had ensured no Adler lever action guns with more than five rounds could be imported.

“The action of the Opposition in trying to use this as a distraction is a disgrace.”

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said there had been “two separate discussions” with Senator Leyonhjelm regarding the Bill last year and the Adler gun.

Mr Dutton said the Government had now made it clear the issue of gun imports would be dealt with by COAG.

“We are not going to allow the importation of the gun,” he told Sky News.

— with AAP

Originally published as Our gun laws must never be softened, says Tasmanian independent Senator Jacqui Lambie