Good laws around firearms focus on Public Safety
Good laws around firearms focus on Public Safety.
No law abiding firearms owner wants criminals to have access to firearms - it threatens public safety, and increases fear in the community. It's important that any laws and rules around firearms target criminals, and minimise perverse outcomes for others. Criminals by their very nature don't follow laws, Police need appropriate powers to target criminals.
This amendment will allow law abiding people to be charged for having "precursors".
What's a precursor? Anything that COULD be used to make firearm parts - water pipe, cutting oils, even scrap steel - the same things all of us have lying about in sheds and on properties all around the west.
The problem is that a law abiding firearms owner with no criminal intent could be charged, have their firearms seized, their licence suspended. Even if the matter is thrown out of court 12 months later - they would still have to go through that. Then despite a criminal charge being dismissed, the NSW Registry might drag a person through NCAT to fight to get their licence back.
A Common Law right to silence may also be violated - under this amendment, ANYONE (firearms owner or not) could be compelled to hand over passwords for computers or mobile devices. On the grounds that they have "precursors" tools, steel, cutting oil...… A book on historic manufacture of firearms might also fall foul of this amendment.
I have had multiple meetings with Minister Elliot, he has provided verbal assurances that lawfully held firearms wont be the focus of the amendment. History shows that if a law is ambiguous or susceptible to overzealous prosecution we have the wrong people caught up.
It's important relevant Ministers and Public Servants hear from you - the people that may be affected by this. Farmers, Professional Shooters, Target Shooters, Conservation Hunters and people gathering table meat.
The link below takes you to an email template. It will be sent to the following people:
- David Elliot (NSW Police Minister who introduced the Bill)
- Mick Fuller (NSW Police Commissioner)
- Gladys Berejiklian (NSW Premier)
- John Barilaro (NSW Nationals - Deputy Premier)
- Adam Marshall (NSW Nationals - Agricultural and Western NSW Minister)
You can edit the email and voice your own personal concerns. Be factual and respectful, it makes it harder to ignore your voice.