Page 2760 - Week 07 - Thursday, 3 July 2008
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the government’s amendment to the bill. The use of privately owned paintball markers will only be permitted on approved paintball ranges, and licensees will need to comply with the safe storage requirements in part 5 of the act.
This legislation is important for ongoing community safety in the territory and I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Detail stage
Clause 1 agreed to.
Clause 2.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (6.09): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name and table a supplementary explanatory statement to the government amendments. [See schedule 3 at page 2787].
This amendment will allow for the commencement of the provisions related to the prohibition of high-powered laser pointers to take effect immediately after notification.
Amendment agreed to.
Clause 2, as amended, agreed to.
Clauses 3 to 7, by leave, taken together and agreed to.
Clause 8.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra) (6.10): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name [see schedule 4 at page 2791].
An earlier draft of the bill enabled persons over the age of 16 years to possess and use but not own paintball markers at an approved paintball range. However, the bill, in its final form, provides only for adults—that is, persons 18 years or over—to be permitted. That is at odds with other jurisdictions, some of which have even younger age thresholds and it puts the ACT ranges at a competitive disadvantage. Indeed, there is a paintball range in New South Wales, only a few kilometres from the border, which offers persons aged 16 or over the opportunity to possess and use paintball markers.
There are two important things to note here. The first is that minors would not be permitted to own paintball markers and the second is that minors would only be permitted to possess—that is, to have on their person—and use paintball markers on approved paintball ranges. They would not be entitled to own, possess, or use
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