Post by RedWest on Oct 11, 2010 16:33:12 GMT 10
What part of the conduct of the Queensland Government isn't predatory overregulation?
Gun owners raise objections to changes to Weapons Act
Robyn Ironside
From: The Courier-Mail October 11, 2010 12:00AM
OBJECTIONS: Paul Feeney says the toy guns he bought at the Ekka for his grandchildren are not weapons. Pic: Adam Smith Source: The Courier-Mail
GUN owners have unleashed their anger over changes to the Weapons Act, bombarding the State Government with almost 1200 submissions.
Unveiled in August, the draft act includes proposals to licence toy guns, restrict the ownership of certain categories of firearm and allow religious exemptions for the possession of knives.
Sporting Shooters Association state president Geoff Jones said their 45,000 members were fundamentally opposed to the "draconian" legislation which sought to penalise lawful gun owners, rather than criminals.
"The new laws are based on restriction (of gun ownership) which we believe is non-productive to community safety, enormously expensive and a serious misdirection of police resources," Mr Jones said.
"It's becoming a monster."
Paul Feeney from the Law-Abiding Firearms' Owners said under the draft laws, gun owners would be lumbered with more paperwork, more charges and greater restrictions.
"Our main objection is the over-regulation. It's regulation for regulation's sake and there's no indication from any of the evidence of the need for this sort of thing," Mr Feeney said. "All this will do is produce a bigger bureaucracy to manage this."
One of the most controversial changes to the law is the proposal to require anyone possessing an object that is a "reasonable copy" of a gun, to licence and store it as a gun.
Mr Feeney said that would mean harmless toys such as those he bought his grandchildren at the Ekka had to be kept under lock and key.
"They rattle and sparkle. The grandchildren love playing with them, but because they are almost exact copies of a Steyr rifle and an American AR-15 they would have to be treated as category D weapons," he said.
"The people they were designed to entertain wouldn't be able to touch them."
Police Minister Neil Roberts said the submissions were currently being reviewed, with recommendations to go to the Government in coming months.
"While I don't want to pre-empt the recommendations that will be made, the Government asked the community for its feedback on possible changes to the act," Mr Roberts said.
Mr Feeney said a complete revision of firearms licensing was needed.
"We object to them being termed as weapons," he said.
Gun owners raise objections to changes to Weapons Act
Robyn Ironside
From: The Courier-Mail October 11, 2010 12:00AM
OBJECTIONS: Paul Feeney says the toy guns he bought at the Ekka for his grandchildren are not weapons. Pic: Adam Smith Source: The Courier-Mail
GUN owners have unleashed their anger over changes to the Weapons Act, bombarding the State Government with almost 1200 submissions.
Unveiled in August, the draft act includes proposals to licence toy guns, restrict the ownership of certain categories of firearm and allow religious exemptions for the possession of knives.
Sporting Shooters Association state president Geoff Jones said their 45,000 members were fundamentally opposed to the "draconian" legislation which sought to penalise lawful gun owners, rather than criminals.
"The new laws are based on restriction (of gun ownership) which we believe is non-productive to community safety, enormously expensive and a serious misdirection of police resources," Mr Jones said.
"It's becoming a monster."
Paul Feeney from the Law-Abiding Firearms' Owners said under the draft laws, gun owners would be lumbered with more paperwork, more charges and greater restrictions.
"Our main objection is the over-regulation. It's regulation for regulation's sake and there's no indication from any of the evidence of the need for this sort of thing," Mr Feeney said. "All this will do is produce a bigger bureaucracy to manage this."
One of the most controversial changes to the law is the proposal to require anyone possessing an object that is a "reasonable copy" of a gun, to licence and store it as a gun.
Mr Feeney said that would mean harmless toys such as those he bought his grandchildren at the Ekka had to be kept under lock and key.
"They rattle and sparkle. The grandchildren love playing with them, but because they are almost exact copies of a Steyr rifle and an American AR-15 they would have to be treated as category D weapons," he said.
"The people they were designed to entertain wouldn't be able to touch them."
Police Minister Neil Roberts said the submissions were currently being reviewed, with recommendations to go to the Government in coming months.
"While I don't want to pre-empt the recommendations that will be made, the Government asked the community for its feedback on possible changes to the act," Mr Roberts said.
Mr Feeney said a complete revision of firearms licensing was needed.
"We object to them being termed as weapons," he said.