Turnbull comes under fire as ‘guns for votes’ row explodes

A political storm over ‘guns for votes’ has forced the PM to rule out weakening import bans on lethal weapons.

Malcolm Turnbull in question time yesterday. Picture: Kym Smith

A political storm over “guns for votes” has forced Malcolm Turnbull to rule out weakening import bans on lethal weapons after the release of emails showing the government raised the prospect of phasing out a ban on a controversial shotgun in return for a key vote in the Senate.

The damaging row overshadowed Mr Turnbull’s push in parliament for curbs on union power as Labor accused the government of destroying the legacy of John Howard’s tough gun controls, imposed two decades ago in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre. The Prime Minister faces calls to go further to prevent the importation of more powerful weapons, as gun-control activists warn that his assurances still allow imports of a shotgun capable of firing five rounds in quick succession.

The “guns for votes” debate came after The Australian reported yesterday that Liberal Democratic Party senator David Leyonhjelm was urging Mr Turnbull to end a ban on the Adler A110 shotgun as part of negotiations over two workplace relations bills. Asked about the report, Mr Turnbull initially refused to discuss his negotiations with Senator Leyonhjelm, then said he would be “working hard” to address the senator’s concerns. He later ruled out changes after Bill Shorten challenged him on the issue in parliament.

“There is no prospect, no chance of my government weakening, watering down John Howard’s gun laws — and I might say there is no proposal being made to do so,” the Prime Minister told question time.

Senator Leyonhjelm declared he had been deceived by the government on an agreement last year to apply a “sunset clause” to the ban on the Adler shotgun, but he argued he was seeking a halt to a new curb rather than the softening of wider gun laws.

“I have been dudded on a deal,” Senator Leyonhjelm said.

He argued that farmers ­needed the lever-­action shotgun to control pests and rejected claims it was a threat to public safety. Senator Leyonhjelm believes the government was wrong to ban Adler shotguns and did so without consulting importers or 800,000 licensed firearm owners.

He says this was an affront to liberal principles. He rejects arguments the lever action of the ­weapon poses any greater risk than existing firearms.

While the government dismissed the idea of doing a deal on guns, Senator Leyonhjelm confirmed that Justice Minister ­Michael Keenan had given him an assurance in August last year to put a sunset clause on the Adler ban in return for a vote on a migration bill. An email from Mr Keenan’s adviser to Senator Leyonhjelm’s office set out the ­agreement, apparently backed by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, on August 12.

“We confirm that Ministers Dutton and Keenan have agreed that the government will amend the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 to insert a sunset clause of 12 months into the recently amended provisions which ban the importation of lever action shot guns with a magazine ­capacity of more than five rounds,” the email said. “In return, Senator Leyonhjelm will vote against the Labor amendments to the Migration Amendment (Strengthening Biometric Integrity) Bill 2015.”

The government did not act on the sunset clause and extended the ban instead; it is now vowing to continue that ban.

Tony Abbott tweeted yesterday that it was “disturbing to see reports of horsetrading on gun laws” but the initial deal with Senator Leyonhjelm was done when Mr Abbott was prime minister, ­according to the lengthy email chain seen by The Australian.

The Alannah & Madeline Foundation, set up in memory of the two children of Walter Mikac killed at Port Arthur, called yesterday for gun safety to be above political deal-making.

“We don’t want to turn into the US where gun control is a political plaything,” said foundation chief Lesley Podesta.

A dispute is building over the strength of the nation’s gun laws in the face of new technology, with some calling for a new ban on Adler shotguns with a magazine capacity of fewer than five rounds.

 

Gun Control Australia chairwoman Samantha Lee called on the government to widen the bans as part of the modernisation of the national firearm agreement between Canberra and the states, the legacy of Mr Howard’s controls.

“To modernise the agreement and still leave the Adler is a weakening of the gun laws,” Ms Lee said. “It’s a dishonouring of the agreement. The whole purpose of the agreement was to limit access to rapid-fire firearms.”

Ms Lee said people could still buy a five-shot Adler and turn it into an 11-shot by purchasing a do-it-yourself magazine extension kit, giving it the features of the rapid-fire weapons banned two decades ago. Gun advocates reject that claim but the dispute appears ­likely to grow as Canberra and the states negotiate changes to the ­national agreement against the backdrop of a fiery political debate over the rules.

Mr Shorten applied pressure on the Prime Minister shortly before noon yesterday by moving a ­motion that the House of Representatives would “never water down” gun laws. “The Prime Minister is willing to risk more guns on the streets for one vote in the Senate,” Mr Shorten said.

“What price will this Prime Minister not pay just to gain one grubby vote in the Senate?

“This is not the party of John Howard any more. They claim the mantle; they are not fit to clean his shoes on this issue.”

Mr Turnbull dismissed the Labor tactics as a distraction from the debate over union power and declared he wanted to toughen the national firearms agreement.

“We want to see it stronger, we are supporting that with an import ban, we are proud of the achievements of John Howard and the ­action of the Opposition in trying to use this as a distraction is a disgrace,” he said.

Mr Turnbull said the ban on the Adler would stay in place until there was a “satisfactory reclassification” of the guns by the Council of Australian Governments.