The Cook Government has simmered down its language on gun reforms significantly with new Police Minister Reece Whitby offering an apology to gun owners and offering to meet with farmer and gun lobby groups while announcing a new buyback regime.
“I want to say to gun owners, and I think this is important, they need to know that we understand their concerns,” Whitby said on Tuesday morning.
New Police Minister Reece Whitby with Acting WA Police Commissioner Kylie Whiteley (left) and Commander Lawrence Panaia (right).Credit: Hamish Hastie
“I want to apologise for the inconvenience and the trouble … when you have legislation that is updated after 50 years, of course, things are going to be different.
“So I say to those gun owners, I apologise for the inconvenience, I apologise for putting you out, but the underlying philosophy and court of this legislation is making the community safe.
“Gun ownership is a privilege, and the priority must always be community safety.”
New restrictions on gun types, the number of guns, how gun licences are obtained and how they are stored came into effect yesterday.
It’s April 1, and I’m sure a lot of West Australian firearm owners are wondering if this is an April fools joke by the West Australian Government
Shane Love
The new laws also give police power to take guns off people who have committed violent offences.
In a surprise move Whitby announced a third gun buyback scheme which will run from April 14 until January 14 as well as a two-week buyback scheme starting today for “rapid release” firearms which were added to the banned gun list in September.
Whitby said there were about 4000 rapid-release weapons in the state but most of them had been handed back already.
The state added rapid-release firearms to the list because of their fire rate which they say circumvented the state’s ban on semi-automatic weapons.
Whitby’s language marks a significant change from the tough rhetoric of former Police Minister Paul Papalia who was responsible for developing the laws.
Gun and farming lobby groups have been staunch critics of the government and police for their handling of the transition period for the new laws to take effect.
Whitby said he would be willing to meet with farming and lobby groups to discuss the transition and left the door open to more changes.
“Look, my door is open. I want to talk to everyone, and I want practical, common-sense changes that don’t undermine the safety aspects of this act in any way,” he said.
Whitby spruiked the success of the previous $17 million buybacks, saying they had taken 52,000 guns out of the community.
Nationals leader Shane Love said the government was playing an April fools joke.
“It’s April 1, and I’m sure a lot of West Australian firearm owners are wondering if this is an April fools joke by the West Australian Government,” he said.
“Having denied that they were going to introduce any sort of realistic compensation for firearm owners, and scaring people with less over the last three months, they finally relented, come to their senses and introduce something which we’ve been calling for all along.”
Love also noted Whitby’s softened language and said his entry into the police portfolio would allow for more reasonable discussions with the government.
Acting Police Commissioner Kylie Whitely revealed police had already used their powers to remove firearms from violent offenders.
Police have set up a dedicated call centre for firearms owners with queries about the new laws: 1300 894 474.