Weak Response to Firearms Petition 

The NSW Government has provided a weak response to the record-breaking parliamentary petition calling for evidence-based and proportionate firearms legislation, according to the Member for Barwon, Roy Butler. 

Sponsored by Mr Butler, the petition was launched in December after the government announced radical changes to firearms laws just days after the Bondi terror attack. It became the fastest-growing e-petition in parliamentary history, reaching nearly 100,000 signatures.  

The petition asked the government to refrain from associating licensed firearms owners with terrorists. It also called for a Proportionate, Evidence-based and Consultative Firearms Policy.  

The NSW Government response from Police Minister Catley states that “these reforms are focused on public safety, community security, and addressing gaps in oversight, not punishing law-abiding, licensed firearms owners.” 

Mr Butler says the rushed laws don’t meet the government’s stated intention. 

“This knee-jerk response to a national tragedy does nothing to improve public safety,” said Mr Butler. “They are confiscating legal firearms from locked safes but doing nothing about the illegal firearms on our streets. 

“The gaps in oversight relate to the failure of security agencies to implement the law, not to the laws themselves, which have been held up as world’s-best practice for twenty years. 

“The fact that these firearms laws were presented to Parliament with ‘terrorism’ in the title shows exactly what the government thinks about firearms owners,” said Mr Butler. 

The NSW Government claims to be consulting with industry to develop the regulations that underpin the firearms laws. 

“I have seen little evidence of consultation with the firearms industry, but I would certainly welcome it,” said Mr Butler. 

“There is scope for Minister Catley to reduce the worst impacts of the legislation on law-abiding firearms owners within the regulatory scheme, and I hope to work with her to do so,” concluded Mr Butler.  

Petition: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/la/petitions/Pages/tabled-paper-details.aspx?pk=193059