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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (17 June) . . Page.. 1950 ..
MR WOOD
(continuing):the person is not a fit and proper person to be in possession of a pistol, there is clearly a need to ensure that this comes to the attention of licensing authorities, or other relevant authorities.
A number of the new provisions in the act will address this. These include the following provisions: requiring a shooting club to let the registrar know if a person who is licensed to use a prohibited pistol has his or her membership suspended or cancelled; requiring a club to alert the registrar if there is reason to believe a member is a danger to himself or herself, or the community; and new provisions extending immunity from suit. That is currently limited to medical practitioners and other health professionals who report concerns about a patient's fitness to have access to a firearm.
The amendments to the act will also provide for a buyback of prohibited pistols. Some persons who are presently licensed to possess such pistols may, as a result of the amendments, cease to be entitled to a licence. Provided the pistols concerned are surrendered before 1 January 2004, the owners of those pistols will be entitled to compensation for the surrendered pistols.
COAG has agreed that the buyback will be initially funded from $15 million left over from the last firearms buyback, which followed the Port Arthur tragedy. The arrangement is for the cost of the buyback to be shared on a two-thirds/one-third basis, with the Commonwealth paying two-thirds and the ACT one-third.
The buyback will be based on a nationally-agreed list of values for prohibited pistols, major parts and accessories. The dispute resolution provisions in the regulations are based on an independent valuation panel considering any dispute. Generally, shooting and other firearms club representatives have been supportive of the proposed changes. However, it is no secret that there is some dissatisfaction that the COAG decision is to limit the events for which prohibited pistols can be used to the two I mentioned earlier.
I am aware that lobbying is continuing in other jurisdictions on this issue, but I remain to be persuaded of the need to depart from what COAG agreed, and I note that that is what New South Wales is proposing to implement. I think there would be problems if the ACT were to differ substantially from our New South Wales counterparts on this point.
I am satisfied that the amendments made give effect to what COAG agreed, and represent an appropriate approach to the circumstances in which persons should be able to have access to potentially dangerous firearms. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Most members on the crossbenches and government spokespeople have been briefed on this, but please look for more briefings. I brought this in today-rather than Thursday-following the earlier briefing, to enable you to have a good look at it, because we wish to get this through by Thursday of next week.
Debate (on motion by Mr Pratt ) adjourned to the next sitting.
Suspension of temporary and standing orders
Motion (by Mr Wood ) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
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