Tassie needs tougher, not weaker, gun laws, says lobby

A LOBBY group made up of health professionals has congratulated the State Government for dropping its controversial gun law reforms but says they need to be tougher.

A LOBBY group made up of health professionals has congratulated the State Government for dropping its controversial gun law reforms but the farming sector is less impressed.

Medics for Guns Control wants the Upper House Inquiry which is now considering submissions to switch its focus from watering down existing legislation to bolstering it.

Premier Will Hodgman announced on Friday the government would not be pursuing its changes to Tasmania’s gun laws — which were revealed to voters on the eve of the state election in March.

Under the shelved reforms the duration of some gun licences would double and some weapons such as pump action shotguns would be more readily available.

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Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers president Wayne Johnston said the agricultural sector was surprised by the Government’s decision to take its policy off the table.

“This was about making the firearm legislation more user friendly not challenging the National Firearms Agreement. We need tools to control browsing animals and firearms are one of those valuable tools.

“We can fence wildlife out but at $17,000 a kilometre that eats into profits and doesn’t solve the issue but just pushes it somewhere else,’ Mr Johnston said.

A legislative inquiry into the reforms is underway and more than 100 submissions have been received so far.

Murchison MLC Ruth Forrest has labelled continuing the inquiry now the Government had removed the terms of reference as “farcical.”

But Primary Industries Minister Sarah Courtney said taking the gun policy off the table showed her Government listened to the community as well as legitimate firearm users.

“We hope the inquiry goes ahead and look forward to the findings. I can’t pre-empt what the committee’s recommendations will be but will get a broad sense of what the community thinks from submissions and through hearings,” Ms Courtney said.

Medics for Gun Control, a broad coalition of nurses, paramedics, doctors and health professionals, have been vocal in their opposition to changing the laws introduced after the Port Arthur massacre.

Medics for Gun Control spokesman Phill Pullinger.

“The National Firearms Agreement has been central to a dramatic reduction in deaths from guns in Australia,” spokesman Dr Phill Pullinger said.

“Weakening Tasmania’s gun laws threatened to not only put Tasmanian lives at risk, but seriously undermine the national agreement.”

“We welcome Premier Will Hodgman’s commitment to drop the proposal to water down Tasmania’s gun laws — and urge him and the Upper House to now focus their efforts and attention on how to further reduce injuries and deaths from guns by strengthening the spirit and intent of the national agreement,” he concluded.

Since the National Firearms Agreement was established in 1996 after the Port Arthur Massacre, gun deaths in Australia have more than halved.

While there were 13 mass shootings in Australia in the 18 years leading up to the Port Arthur massacre, there were none in Australia in the 20 years following the establishment of the national gun laws until Margaret River in May this year.