Page 4457 - Week 12 - Thursday, 26 October 2017
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MR BARR: The government has a proven track record of attracting airlines to open new routes to Canberra for the benefit of residents and businesses. We have made a commitment to make it easier for visitors to travel to Canberra in the domestic sense and of course internationally.
Along with the successful direct Singapore Airlines flights to Singapore and Wellington, Qatar Airways will commence daily services in February 2018. This will connect Canberra with over 150 destinations in that airline’s global network, including more than 40 in Europe. Late last year Tiger commenced low-cost daily services between Melbourne and Canberra and have added an additional service, such has been the success of that first route on Fridays between the two cities, due to that very strong demand. Last month they commenced services between Brisbane and Canberra three times a week, which provides very affordable access for domestic leisure visitors as well as Canberrans looking for a holiday in Queensland.
Such diverse route offerings are happening because we are putting Canberra in front of airlines and making the case, just as we said we would, and this work will continue next month in New Zealand with a further discussion, an evolution of our discussion with Air New Zealand, in relation to the Canberra-Auckland connection.
ACT Policing—gun ownership
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Minister, according to data from ACT Policing, the ACT government has licensed at least 30 Canberra households to amass private arsenals of more than a dozen firearms each. Does the permit system allow people to use the same reason for owning multiple guns? Is there a limit to how many guns are allowed to be owned for the same reason by one person?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Le Couteur for her question. My understanding of the regulations is that a reason must be given to acquire a permit to acquire a firearm. That reason must be for a fit and proper purpose, usually within a sporting club organisation, and there must be evidence provided for that reason.
I will have to check to see whether that reason can be used additional times but I understand that each time a permit to acquire is applied for, there is a cooling-off period of 28 days; so they must go through that period for each firearm acquired. I do not know, and I will check, whether there is an actual limit to the number.
In regard to the number that Ms Le Couteur talks about, my understanding is that there are some clubs that would have armourers who would hold firearms for their club members who are yet to either get their permit to acquire or for a cooling off period at the end. I will check on that for her and come back to the Assembly.
MS LE COUTEUR: Minister, what measures are in place to prevent guns from legally owned stockpiles falling into the wrong hands and becoming a threat to community safety?
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