Sad state of affairs for our friends Down Under
Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:11 pm
Government to look at imposing gun limits
Updated March 06, 2012 17:15:01
Photo: Police seized a number of assault rifles, guns and ammunition in a raid on a Port Kennedy home. (ABC News: Irena Ceranic)
Related Story: Guns seized in raid on Port Kennedy house
Map: Port Kennedy 6172
The Attorney General, Christian Porter, says he will support a limit on the number of guns a licence holder can have after police found 14 guns and a big cache of ammunition in a family home, south of Perth.
Police raided the Port Kennedy home on Sunday and say they found rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, batons, knives and drugs.
Two young children have been staying in the house and their 36-year-old father has been charged with 23 firearm and drug related offences.
The opposition's Michelle Roberts says police must audit all gun licence holders to make sure they have a legitimate right to carry firearms.
"There need to be restrictions put in place, there should be a presumption of someone not having more than two or three licensed firearms at home," she said.
"I think the Police Minister needs to step in straight away.
"He needs to establish some kind of presumption as to the maximum amount of guns that the average person should be able to house at their home, to have numbers like 12 or 13 licensed firearms in an average house is wrong."
Under current legislation, there is no limit on how many firearms a person can own.
Mr Porter, who is currently acting as Police Minister, says it is time to review the law but says any amendments would have to be carefully considered to ensure legitimate gun owners are not penalised.
"There's something that's gone wrong in this individual case, I think that much is clear, and I'll be going through that very very carefully indeed," he said.
"It's time to have the debate, and time to work out how you might institute a limit and whether it can be a limit which is different for some categories of firearm owners, particularly those that are legitimate sportsmen.
"Thirteen licensed firearms for this particular individual seems nothing short of outrageous."
He says he will recommend to the Police Minister Rob Johnson that he introduce a limit on how many gun licences a person can hold.
"My own personal view is I think it's time to look at the legislation to consider whether that can and should be done." he said.
"My view is it should be but it's not just a matter of plucking a number out of the air."
Michelle Roberts says there should be a cap on the number.
"I think the police should be immediately looking through to see who is holding a substantial number of gun licences because I don't think that there can be a genuine reason for these to be in the average house," she said
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Updated March 06, 2012 17:15:01
Photo: Police seized a number of assault rifles, guns and ammunition in a raid on a Port Kennedy home. (ABC News: Irena Ceranic)
Related Story: Guns seized in raid on Port Kennedy house
Map: Port Kennedy 6172
The Attorney General, Christian Porter, says he will support a limit on the number of guns a licence holder can have after police found 14 guns and a big cache of ammunition in a family home, south of Perth.
Police raided the Port Kennedy home on Sunday and say they found rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition, batons, knives and drugs.
Two young children have been staying in the house and their 36-year-old father has been charged with 23 firearm and drug related offences.
The opposition's Michelle Roberts says police must audit all gun licence holders to make sure they have a legitimate right to carry firearms.
"There need to be restrictions put in place, there should be a presumption of someone not having more than two or three licensed firearms at home," she said.
"I think the Police Minister needs to step in straight away.
"He needs to establish some kind of presumption as to the maximum amount of guns that the average person should be able to house at their home, to have numbers like 12 or 13 licensed firearms in an average house is wrong."
Under current legislation, there is no limit on how many firearms a person can own.
Mr Porter, who is currently acting as Police Minister, says it is time to review the law but says any amendments would have to be carefully considered to ensure legitimate gun owners are not penalised.
"There's something that's gone wrong in this individual case, I think that much is clear, and I'll be going through that very very carefully indeed," he said.
"It's time to have the debate, and time to work out how you might institute a limit and whether it can be a limit which is different for some categories of firearm owners, particularly those that are legitimate sportsmen.
"Thirteen licensed firearms for this particular individual seems nothing short of outrageous."
He says he will recommend to the Police Minister Rob Johnson that he introduce a limit on how many gun licences a person can hold.
"My own personal view is I think it's time to look at the legislation to consider whether that can and should be done." he said.
"My view is it should be but it's not just a matter of plucking a number out of the air."
Michelle Roberts says there should be a cap on the number.
"I think the police should be immediately looking through to see who is holding a substantial number of gun licences because I don't think that there can be a genuine reason for these to be in the average house," she said
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