Tasmania Police backflip on ‘toy’ gun agreement, owners outraged
Gel Blasters, toy guns that fire “harmless” gel balls are not legal in Tasmania, but owners were told by police that they could be used recreationally in clubs. Tasmania police have since reneged, demanding the guns be handed in. FULL STORY >>
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TASMANIA Police have been accused of backflipping on advice to Tasmanian gel blaster owners that they would be allowed to use the “toys” in a club environment.
Gel Blasters, toy guns that fire gel balls made mostly of water, are not legal in Tasmania but owners were told by police they could be used recreationally in clubs in 2018.
That was until recently when Tasmania Police sent letters were sent to owners stating they must be handed in as they contravened the state’s Firearms Act.
Shooters Union Tasmania claimed club members bought the blasters in good faith and no compensation has been offered to owners who have been asked to forfeit their guns – despite being told they were exempt by the authorities.
A series of emails between a Firearms Services sergeant and a gel blaster club member acknowledged police support of the Launceston Gel Ball Club and their operation in 2018.
Over the course of the correspondence, Firearm Services back peddled – informing the member that gel blasters were considered firearms and must be forfeited to police.
“I must advise that any gel blasters in your possession must immediately be surrounded to Tasmania Police,” a letter from a Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Services manager read – seemingly ending the correspondence between the parties.
SUT president Alistair Shephard said described the series of events as comical.
“You couldn’t make this stuff up,” he said.
“The number of people killed by gel blasters is zero – toothpicks are responsible for more deaths than gel blasters – yet here we are banning a toy and trying to do it with a straight face.
“Weren’t we all taught in kindergarten that taking someone’s toys away was a form of bullying and not a nice thing to do?”
Acting Assistant Commissioner, Ian Whish-Wilson said the blasters posed a threat community and police were aware of them being used in criminal activity, to threaten and intimidate.
“Gel blasters with the appearance of a real firearm have been used in crimes including an aggravated assault where a woman was threatened,” he said.
“They have also been seized by police along with drugs after searches.”
Assistant Commissioner Whish-Wilson confirmed past agreements with clubs in Smithton and Launceston were once in place but have since changed.
“In 2018, advice was provided to a Smithton Club that permitted their use,” he said.
“However Tasmania Police has since determined that gel blasters are classified in the same category as an air rifle or air pistol or may actually be a reproduction of a known firearm,” he said.
In a glimmer of hope for Launceston owners, he confirmed the club will have their blasters assessed to determine whether they are to be classed as firearms.
“The (Launceston) club will hand in those items, and Firearms Services will undertake an assessment and provide advice as to their classification.
“Tasmania Police recommends that if you are in possession of a gel blaster that you hand it into police.”
Launceston Gel Ball Club Roger Lutwyche said the blasters were so harmless, they cannot even pop a balloon or penetrate a piece of paper at close range.
“These guys (hand blaster pictured above) won’t go through a piece of A4 paper much over two or three meters,” he said.
Mr Shephard disputed the point raised that gel blasters (pictured) look like replica firearms and questioned why paintball guns are legal in the state but gel blasters are not.
“TasPol have utterly refused to explain how a paintball gun – which can cause injuries if improperly used and which fires a pretty hard and painful paint pellet – is okay, but a gel blaster is not,” he said.
“The absolutely crazy thing is the gelsoft club members even put their gel blaster mechanisms inside actual Nerf dart guns (pictured) they’d bought from toy shops, so there could be no way at all someone could mistake them for a real gun.”
Mr Shephard hoped common sense would eventually prevail.
As it stands, gel blasters are only legal in Queensland and South Australia.
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