Page 1901 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 6 June 2017
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It is important to remind members that the bill being debated today has not required any current ACT firearms owners to surrender their firearms. The registry reported that there were four firearms licensees with lever action shotguns held under a category A licence only. All four licensees met the criteria for a category B licence and, after discussion with the firearms registry, have had their licences amended to category A/B. The registry also confirmed that there are no registered lever action shotguns in the ACT with a magazine capacity over five rounds.
The new category for lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds will bring the treatment of these firearms into line with the restrictions on magazine capacities already in place. Pump action shotguns and self-loading shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than five rounds are already classified as category D firearms. The changes in the bill strike an appropriate balance between the right of the community to feel safe and secure and the interests of licensed users in accessing firearms. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
Red Tape Reduction Legislation Amendment Bill 2017
Debate resumed from 30 March 2107, on motion by Mr Ramsay:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (11.15): The bill before us today is one that is cautiously welcomed by the opposition, as its aims do align with the philosophy held by those on this side of the chamber that the regulatory burden in the ACT and in particular on business needs to be addressed. The bill also purports to alleviate some of the unnecessary administrative and compliance costs for business, the community and the government alike—another objective supported by the Canberra Liberals in principle.
I acknowledge the efforts made by the ACT government in consultation on this bill and that the government have sought the support of relevant stakeholders. However, I remain concerned that too often these efforts translate to stakeholders as consultation within ACT government directorates and that much of the work relating to “stakeholder engagement” is consistently done as an insider exercise. This bill is certainly no different to the bill that preceded it earlier today, with great debate as to what consultation actually means and looks like.
The bill seeks to amend or repeal a number of acts, regulations and instruments affecting a number of industry groups in the ACT. These include but are not limited to
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