7/23/2019 The Liberal Government is After Your Firearms Again!

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M E D I A R E L E A S E

22 October 2015For Immediate Release

The Liberal Government is After Your Guns Again!

NSW Shooters and Fishers Party MLC Robert Borsak today hit back at the Federal Governmentsproposal to change the law to move already legal five-shot and seven-shot lever-action shotgunsfrom Category A to Categories B and D.

No compensation will be offered to those who have already legally purchased them under thecurrent regulations if they are reclassified, according to the proposal.

Its basically 1996 all over again, but without the compensation. The Federal Government doesntwant to look soft on terrorism or gun crime, so they will happily go after law-abiding firearm ownersin search of a quick headline,Mr Borsak said.

Weve received word that the Federal Attorney-Generals Departments Firearms and WeaponsPolicy Working Group met with Justice Minister Michael Keenan yesterday to discuss the future oflever-action shotguns,Mr Borsak said.

Theyre proposing nationally that five-shot lever-action shotguns be reclassified as Category Bfirearms; seven-shot versions be reclassified as Category D firearms, requiring an impossible-to-get Commissioners Permit.

Since five and seven-shot lever-action shotguns are now classified as Category A, this will lead toa national confiscation of once-legal firearms as they are arbitrarily reclassified.

NSW Police Minister Troy Grant rightly said in the Dubbo PhotoNewsyesterday: ours is aproblem with illegal guns, not an issue with legal firearms or their owners. Minister Grants

Federal counterparts, however, are not following through with this sentiment.

To combat gun crime and terrorism, the Government should simply support my Bill for mandatorysentencing for firearms used in crime. I have been trying to get support from the Government forover three years but my requests have fallen on deaf-ears.

Another response would be to create a reward-system and amnesty for any black market firearmssurrendered so that we can get them off our streets. We also need more investigations by policeinto the networks that hold and supply such illicit firearms.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Borsak MLC 02 9230 2573