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NSW government wooing Shooters Party MPs with weaker firearms regulations
Friday 12 March 2010
Greens MP and firearms spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said the new NSW regulations that water down gun control measures appeared to be an attempt to mend bridges with the Shooters Party following last year's falling out over their controversial Game and Feral Animal Control Bill that sought hunting in national parks.
SMH, page 4 today.
The two firearms regulations allow security guards with firearms licenses to use prohibited pistols and shotguns, and grant open-ended firearms licenses to international visitors.
"Labor is still trying to win favours from the Shooters MPs. The Coalition is no better. They are clearly hoping to keep the Shooters on side in the lead up to the 2011 election," said Ms Rhiannon.
"These new firearms regulations were gazetted last December, shortly after Labor's deal with the Shooters Party fell over.
"Labor and the Coalition beat the law and order drum but they stand by while gun control measures are watered down.
"The Government should be placing public safety ahead of its deals with the Shooters Party.
"Public safety has been steadily compromised in NSW because Labor has been unwilling to take on the shooters lobby and tighten gun control laws.
"The government should place public safety ahead of its deals with the two Shooters MPs.
"Our community will not be made safer by watering down firearms laws to more heavily arm security guards.
"Security guards could become the target of gun theft, increasing the number of illegal weapons in the community. Last year firearms theft rose by almost 20 per cent in NSW.
"At a time when gun theft is on the rise, when we want to keep guns out of our community, we should be tightening regulations, not loosening them.
"There can be no justification for relaxing NSW's firearms laws," said Ms Rhiannon.
For information: Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568
