Labor vows to intervene if states water down gun laws

FEDERAL Labor is calling on the Turnbull Government to review whether Tasmania’s proposed gun laws breach the national Agreement created after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Peled

FEDERAL Labor has vowed to take action against rogue states that try to relax Australia’s gun laws after re-elected Premier Will Hodgman vowed to water down Tasmania’s firearm laws.

If elected next year, Labor leader Bill Shorten has promised to intervene if any states breach the National Firearms Agreement — created after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in which 35 people died.

Mr Shorten has written to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging the Government to immediately review Tasmania’s proposal over concerns it breaches the agreement.

The Tasmanian Government plans to give farmers greater access to Category C firearms, such as self-loading rifles and pump-action shotguns, and to double some licence durations from five to 10 years.

Mr Hodgman said he had been advised by his police minister the changes did not breach the agreement, which specifically states a firearms licence “must be issued for a period of no more than five years”.

Federal Law Enforcement Minister Angus Taylor said he would not support changes to the National Firearms Agreement, which he said was one of John Howard’s greatest legacies.

Premier Will Hodgman. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

Mr Taylor said Premier Hodgman promised his Government “will not do anything to compromise the National Firearms Agreement”.

In a letter to Mr Turnbull, seen by News Corp, Mr Shorten demanded the Government check whether Tasmania was compliant and promised to back any moves to strengthen the National Firearms Agreement.

“If, as appears to be the case, that proposal would breach the agreement, I ask you to publicly demand that your Liberal Party colleagues in the Tasmanian Government abandon it,” Mr Shorten said.

“Both sides of Australian politics have a solemn responsibility to uphold, maintain and strengthen this framework.

“As Prime Minister, you cannot stand by and allow Australia’s world-leading gun laws to be watered down.”

Earlier this month, Premier Hodgman said the Tasmanian Parliament would need to pass new laws to change the state’s gun laws but would not say when the new legislation would be introduced.

Former prime minister Mr Howard — the architect of the 1996 reforms — said he was “totally opposed” to any move to relax gun laws.

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