MP Adam Brooks’s sudden resignation stalls parliamentary review of Tasmania’s firearms laws

UPDATED: The sudden resignation of Braddon MHA Adam Brooks has thrown a spanner in the works of a parliamentary inquiry into Tasmania’s firearms laws.

THE resignation of Braddon MHA Adam Brooks has thrown a spanner in the works of a parliamentary inquiry into Tasmania’s firearms laws.

The House of Assembly’s inquiry is due to report back on March 14 — two days after the Tasmanian Parliament’s first sitting day for 2019.

Submissions closed in October and witnesses were due to start giving evidence on Friday.

A witness told the Mercury they had been contacted and advised the hearings had been deferred due to Mr Brooks’s resignation

Mr Brooks, the state’s former mining minister resigned from his seat this week and was a member of the four-person inquiry committee.

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A State Government spokesman said it was now a matter for the committee whether its work proceeded following his resignation.

Police Minister Michael Ferguson said the Government continued to look forward to the findings and recommendations of the inquiry when the committee was able to finish its work.

“It was the Government which moved for the establishment of the committee and we fully support the finalisation of its work in due course,” Mr Ferguson said.

“The conduct of the inquiry is a matter for the Parliamentary Committee, and the members of the Committee have resolved to resume the inquiry again when it has full membership addressed.

“The inquiry is a platform for all stakeholder views to be heard. The Government’s position is that our firearms laws are among the toughest in the world and that is how they should remain. Our overriding principle in relation to any proposed changes continues to be that we will not do anything to undermine the National Firearms Agreement.”

Former MP Adam Brooks, who resigned this week, was part of a four-member committee examining Tasmania’s firearms laws. Picture: FACEBOOK

There are no terms of reference to govern the replacement of a committee member and a vote to replace him would be needed.

The committee, headed by Liberal Lyons MHA Mark Shelton, has been tasked with examining current and future gun licensing regimes and if the state complies with the National Firearms Agreement.

It is also examining submissions received by the disbanded Legislative Council gun laws inquiry.

The defunct inquiry received 110 submissions but was cancelled after the Government abandoned its election promise to reform the state’s firearm laws — which included relaxing access to Category C firearms such as pump action shotguns, silencers and extending the duration of some gun licences.

A new Lower House inquiry was then initiated.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled Premier Will Hodgman was wrong to refuse to release advice he said he received about his Government’s proposed gun law changes.

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Gun Control Australia applied under Right to Information laws for the advice which Mr Hodgman said supported the Government’s assertion they would not breach the National Firearms Agreement.

The RTI request was denied and Gun Control Australia took the matter to the Supreme Court.

In his decision, Justice Michael Brett ordered the RTI refusal be set aside and for it to be reconsidered “in accordance with the law”.

“At the most basic level of the argument, because the Premier referred to this advice in partial justification of the Government’s position, it is impossible for the public to assess that question and legitimately oppose or support the Government’s position in debate without being privy to that advice,” Justice Brett said.

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