Inconsistent Tasmanian Firearm Legislation needs Parliamentary Committee Investigation
Tasmania needs to urgently address several inconsistencies within its firearms laws via a Parliamentary Committee, with Shooters Union Tasmania saying too much of the legislation has a piecemeal approach and relies on the decisions or whims of an unelected official.
Shooters Union Tasmania president Phillip Bigg said a number of areas of the Firearms Act 1996 were held together by duct-tape, with the Police Commissioner having the power to implement or revoke exemptions to aspects of the laws off their own bat.
“Tasmania Police Commissioner Donna Adams unilaterally cancelled one of these exemptions in January 2024, removing long-standing protections for pre-1900 antique firearms - which lead to an economic upheaval of valuable antiques and generation family values,” he said.
“The Police Minister announced shortly afterwards that this would be rectified within the year but we’re still waiting.” Mr Bigg said the Tasmanian Police Commissioner also removed a blanket exemption for interstate and international hunters years earlier, initially blocking them from using their licences for recreational hunting/vermin control in Tasmania.
“This was later reversed for interstate shooters after community backlash, but licensed international visitors are still prohibited from shooting here, impacting on a $100m+ industry primarily helping regional communities and tourism in Tasmania,” he said. Mr Bigg said the state’s makeshift approach to firearms legislation had direct impacts on Tasmanian business.
“A Tasmanian engineering firm collapsed recently after investing in a Government-backed defence manufacturing pivot, relating to the production of parts, including sound suppressors for rifles – the police exemptions for producing firearm components (suppressors and parts) were revoked or denied due to “public safety” concerns and flawed laws,” he said.
“This directly lead to over $2 million in lost income, staff redundancies, repossession of machinery, and the business’ failure - despite initial approvals and financial grants for the undertaking from the Tasmanian Government.”
“Back in 2018 the Liberals agreed for suppressors to be legalised in Tasmania – and only changed their tune when uninformed and unaffected people threw a tantrum about it when the plan became public.
“The trend internationally, including in the UK, has been to recognise suppressors are an important tool for protecting hearing and reduce or even completely remove restrictions on them, yet we have Tasmania driving businesses to bankruptcy rather than fix the laws on what is essentially safety equipment.”
Mr Bigg said it was incredibly disappointing Tasmania’s law abiding firearms community was being treated in such a distasteful manner by not only unelected officials, but by those who used situations as political grandstanding moments.
“We have had years of ad hoc political grandstanding and legislative amendments rather than doing what is right,” he said.
“We seriously need to consider a Parliamentary Committee to straighten everything out.” Mr Bigg also stressed, in light of current events and significant media attention around firearms, that it was extremely important to note Tasmania Police and the Firearms Services branch had done exemplary work in removing firearms from the criminal enterprises often associated with drugs and violence.
“As responsible firearms users, we fully support the work Tasmania Police do to remove firearms from dangerous criminals. It’s important, and very much appreciated,” he said.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Tasmania president Phillip Bigg: [email protected] or 0433549703
Media director Royce Wilson: [email protected] or 0410 645 035