Nationals Support New Approach to Firearms Licensing

The Nationals are proud to stand with Australia’s community of over a million law-abiding firearm owners, who will finally be able to utilise the benefits of a national electronic firearms licensing system.

Despite having some of the most stringent gun regulations in the world, licensing is currently spread across 30 different registers and databases throughout our states and territories. These inconsistencies have provided criminals the opportunity to take advantage of loopholes and operate illicit activity; fuelling the illegal gun-trade and tarnishing the reputation of licensed and law-abiding firearm owners.

The implementation of a National Electronic Registration System will provide much needed continuity. This improved efficiency and functionality will result in fewer human errors and allow police resources to be directed at the criminal misuse of firearms, rather than monitoring and restricting the activities of law-abiding firearm owners.

The technology will also provide hard-data to demonstrate to the government and law-enforcement authorities in no uncertain terms what The Nationals already know; the guns used in the commission of crime do not originate from licensed firearm owners.

The facts were made abundantly clear in the 2015 Senate inquiry into the Ability of Australian law enforcement authorities to eliminate gun-related violence in the community, in which the Greens attempted to connect law-abiding firearm owners the illicit gun-trade.

The hypothesis that illegal guns are mainly stolen from registered gun owners was not supported by any evidence. Rather, the committee recognised the large number of Australians who participate in the sport of shooting and hunting complying with relevant legislation and safety practices, while acknowledging their positive contribution to society and the economy.  

It was from the inquiry that The Nationals recommended a National Firearms Interface be implemented. A further recommendation from the Senate Report that The Nationals have delivered on has been the study into the social, economic and environmental benefits of hunting across Australia. The study revealed the $2.4 billion that hunting and shooting sports contributed to the economy in 2018, with an estimated 19,500 full-time jobs generated.

Law-abiding firearm owners are valuable contributors to society and our economy, yet we continue to face additional and unlawful punitive measures by banks, the police and state governments.

As a Nationals Senator I support a consistent and technological approach to licensing, but the effectiveness of any system will be determined by the data upon which it relies upon.

Many licensed and law-abiding firearm owners have been the subject of multiple breaches of privacy, with their safety and that of their families put at risk by state governments and law enforcement. Given this, a national database must prioritise the security of personal information.