‘Sh*t show’: WA cops slammed for rifle stunt

A WA police force was given repeated safety warnings before it decided to shoot a high-powered rifle at a press conference.

A West Australian police force was given repeated warnings about the safety of a “sh*t show” media stunt before deciding to shoot a high-powered rifle at a press conference, forcing an army base to shut down.

A live demonstration of the highly dangerous Browning Machine Gun, which has bullets longer than a smartphone and is lethal from more than two kilometres away, took place at a Royal Australian Air Force base outside Perth last year as part of a media event spruiking new firearms legislation.

The 50-calibre sniper rifle was fired at a target at Base Pearce from between 100 and 200 metres away, as WA Premier Mark McGowan, government officials and reporters watched on.

WA Premier Mark McGowan, Police Minister Paul Papalia and then police commissioner now WA Governor Chris Dawson at the event with the .50 calibre weapon. Picture: Twitter

Now, internal documents have revealed the police force was warned multiple times over the safety of the event, with the Special Air Service, RAAF and even some of its own officers citing a serious ricochet risk.

In one of the documents, which were this week exposed by the Freedom of Information Act, an SAS Regiment warrant officer noted “he considers the activity would be extremely unsafe and would pose serious risk to property and persons” which as a serving ADF member he “cannot support”.

In another email from an RAAF Pearce squadron leader, he flagged “the impact to flying operations is significant for a non-ADF and non-priority activity” as he appealed for other rifle ranges which he nominated to be considered.

The sniper rifle, which is similar to the one pictured, has bullets longer than a smartphone and is deadly for more than two kilometres. Picture: NSW Police

The documents also included warnings from RAAF officials who said Base Pearce was not certified for the use of such a weapon, and recommended the event be moved elsewhere.

The event organisers declined the request, and instead forced Base Pearce to shut down for two days so their demonstration could go ahead.

The air hub, which is one of the nation’s busiest, was forced to issue an urgent notice for danger to a height of 18,000ft for flights about the air base and inbound from Perth.

Gun buyback and firearms reform announcements typically feature weapons seized from the community, but bizarrely the Browning Machine Gun fired at the event was purchased by the WA government.

The firearm was purchased by the state government from an online source specifically for the event, not long after the government’s own gun buyback program. It was estimated to have cost the taxpayer about $8500.

Then police commissioner Chris Dawson, now WA’s governor, was in attendance. Picture: Paul McGovern

“To use taxpayer money for a media stunt to purchase a gun which the government is proposing to ban is completely outrageous,” said state Liberal Opposition leader Libby Mettam.

National Shooting Council vice president Peter Zadbrac condemned the event, calling it a “sh*t show”.

“It is absolutely mind-blowing this media event was allowed to go ahead there were just so many, so many serious safety breaches,” he told The Advertiser.

“It was an orchestrated media event to create fear in the community … they were clearly told it was too risky but they went ahead and did it anyway.

The ‘sh*t show’ event forced the shut down of one of the nation’s busiest air hubs. Picture: CPL Dan Pinhorn

“There was a very, very high risk of ricochets and therefore injury to members of the public, press and police attending because of the type of targets they were shooting at … they were very lucky to get away with it with no-one being injured, killed or worse for this little sh*t show.”

The gun is now being stored at a WA police ballistic library, which is used for criminal investigations.

WA Police said yesterday it had addressed all safety concerns ahead of the controversial event.

“All of the issues were addressed with mitigation strategies suggested by a subject matter expert in the use of these types of weapons and ranges, including a direct line of communications with RAAF Pearce for the duration of the demonstration,” a spokeswoman said.

Originally published as ‘Sh*t show’: WA cops slammed for rifle stunt