One of Australia’s peak firearms organisations continues to question the narrative around Western Australia’s firearms law changes as the State Government reminds people its inadequate “buyback” will finish at the end of the month.
Recent changes to the state’s gun laws, rammed through Parliament by the Cook Government despite opposition from more than 32,000 Western Australians, restrict the number firearms most licensed shooters can own to just five, and have told people with more than the allowed numbers they must dispose of the excess – or else.
Shooters Union Western Australia state advocate Steve Harrison said the way the entire law change had been conducted was nothing less than dictatorial, and said it was disgusting the Premier and Police Minister continued to push a demonstrably false “public safety” narrative surrounding the new laws.
“Police Minister Papalia has made reference to removing “unnecessary” firearms from WA, but seems completely unaware that legally speaking, there are zero “unnecessary” firearms in the state,” Mr Harrison said.
“Anyone acquiring a firearm must demonstrate a genuine need – not want, but actual need – for that gun. If that is satisfied, then they receive a licence for it. The decision has already been made by WA Police themselves: Every single registered firearm in WA is necessary. Papalia and his mates should not be allowed to gaslight anyone with this false narrative that the state is full of guns which are readily available to everyone.”
Mr Harrison said he was particularly disgusted by the constant comparisons between criminals and law-abiding shooters, saying they were ignorant fear-mongering that wouldn’t be tolerated if it involved any other minority group.
“If someone stabs another person, we as a society don’t assume everyone who cooks is a murderer and make people hand in all their expensive Japanese cooking knives,” he said.
“Yet this is exactly what’s happening with shooters – and we’re being told to just suck it up.”
The “voluntary” buyback – which is not offering anything close to fair market value for most of the guns being handed in – has also come under considerable flak, with Mr Harrison saying many of those affected by the law changes were going to be significantly out of pocket.
“WA firearm owners are almost certainly reviewing their options to fight for fair compensation when the seizures start,” Mr Harrison said.
“I believe a class action lawsuit is inevitable at some point, particularly given how licensed firearm owners view what is essentially forced, poorly-compensated removal of their lawfully held private property purely because someone in the Government doesn’t like their sport.
“None of this process has been remotely fair, democratic, or conducted in good faith – and I think there are a lot of questions about it all that need serious answers.”
