Nationals urged to ‘come clean’ over gun reform

NSW MINISTER for Police Yasmin Catley is calling on the NSW Liberals and Nationals to “come clean” about a plan to “water down” the state’s new gun laws passed in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack.

Minister Catley cited comments made on radio by Shadow Minister Anthony Roberts (Liberals), which suggested that the Coalition intends to move amendments to the firearms reforms.
The reforms passed by Parliament include:

● A cap limiting individuals to four firearms (with exemptions for primary producers up to ten);

● Restrictions on straight-pull, pump-action and lever-release firearms;

● Reduced magazine capacity for Category A and B firearms;

● Mandatory gun club membership for licence holders;

● Stronger safe storage inspections and compliance requirements;

● An audit of existing firearms licences;

● A gun buyback scheme in partnership with the Commonwealth.

Ms Catley said the Coalition must be upfront about exactly which reforms they wish to amend.

“After the worst antisemitic terror attack our state has ever seen, we strengthened our gun laws to reduce risk and protect the community,” she said.

“If the Liberals and Nationals are planning to water down these laws, they need to say so plainly.

“Which safeguards do they want to remove? Which limits do they want to weaken?”

In a statement to News Of The Area, NSW Nationals leader and Coffs MP Gurmesh Singh clarified his position.

“It is widely acknowledged that the new firearms laws have many loopholes and unintended consequences,” he said.

“For example, shortening the maximum licence period from five years to two years puts into limbo many law-abiding citizens who now face uncertainty about when they need to renew their licences, or if their licences are still valid.

“Two months since the laws passed parliament, we’ve yet to hear even a whisper from the Minns Labor Government about the regulations that will sit alongside the new laws.

“The laws don’t come into effect until these regulations are written and will form the basis of how the laws will operate in practice.

“We will commit to fixing the laws once the Government actually finishes writing them.”

Mr Singh says firearms owners across regional NSW, as well as the small businesses and clubs that support them, are struggling with uncertainty caused by “rushed legislation”.

“We’re seeing community meetings with hundreds of people venting their anger and frustration at the Minns Labor Government’s mismanagement of this issue.

“Across regional NSW, we’re seeing record pest pressure with wild pigs, deer, rabbits and other pests wreaking havoc across the landscape.

“The government should be helping farmers to deal with these pests, not make them the scapegoats for terrorism.”