MEDIA RELEASE
Shooters Union has been advised journalists from the Courier-Mail have contacted at least one Queensland firearms dealer asking for comment regarding statistics provided to the newspaper by Weapons Licensing regarding firearm seizures and firearm thefts.
We understand the information does not take into account firearms seized due to administrative issues such as someone moving house and not changing their address quickly enough, not receiving licence renewal paperwork, and stolen firearms which are subsequently recovered.
Shooters Union president Graham Park believes the ‘seeding’ of these statistics with media is part of a plan by anti-gun elements in Queensland Police Service to create a false narrative regarding lawful firearms ownership in the state.
“There has been a sudden and unwarranted increase in Weapons Licensing attacks on shooters in the state, clearly as part of a wider plan to add restrictions while bypassing the legislative process,” he said.
“Part of that plan involves creating a narrative that there is some sort of serious issue with firearms safety or licensed shooter compliance in Queensland – and we categorically state no such issue exists.
“Most compliance issues are administrative in nature – relating to changes of address not being updated or licence renewals being missed due to the confusing way reminders are sent out and when they are processed.
The large majority of stolen firearms in Queensland are recovered, and quickly, because QPS rightly make them a priority. And publishing numbers on stolen firearms without context – namely that the owners are the victims of crime, and the criminals have gone to significant lengths to steal their guns – distorts the reality of the situation.”
Mr Park said he didn’t blame journalists for being confused by Queensland’s firearms laws or statistics relating to them, but as with everything there was always more to the story.
“We remind the media that firearms matters are a complex subject and Weapons Licensing Branch’s records are well known to be inaccurate, and information from QPS relating to firearms may be missing wider context so it is extremely important not to just run with them.
“The public interest is served by accurate, properly informed reporting and Shooters Union is always happy to provide information, comment, and wider context – either on the record or on background – to facilitate that.”
