CORONAVIRUS —
FIREARMS LICENSING
327. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to recent correspondence I received
from firearms dealers, alleging that the Western Australia Police Force
licensing service will cancel firearm licence applications in its system and
issue partial refunds to applicants. Firearm licence applicants are now calling
firearm dealers and asking for refunds on firearms they are no longer able to
access, further impacting dealers who are already devastated by the closure of
their businesses.
(1) Can the minister advise what
will happen with current firearm licence applications in the system?
(2) Will full
refunds of firearm licence application fees be provided for applications
affected by the state of emergency directive; and, if not, why not?
(3) If yes to (2), how will this
process be administered; and, if no to (2), why not?
(4) If firearm
licence applications are to be cancelled and refunds given, when was this
decision made and how was the information communicated to applicants and the
industry?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided by the
Minister for Police.
(1) Firearms applications continue to be processed.
Each application is assessed on its merits and the legislation, including the requirement for genuine reason and
need. Recent applications have also been assessed taking into account
the current directions made pursuant to the state of emergency in Western Australia
and the legislative requirements.
(2) The police
component of the firearm application fees is refunded if an application is
declined. When an application is declined, the refund process is undertaken
automatically. Australia Post's fees associated with firearms
applications are retained by Australia Post and is a fee for the service it
provides.
(3) Refunds are
administered at licensed firearms services and are generated automatically when
an application is declined.
(4) Firearms
applications are processed in accordance with licensing services for firearms
procedures. Each application is assessed on its merits and the legislative
requirements, including the applicant establishing a genuine reason or genuine
need. Recent applications have been assessed on the basis of the current
directions and the legislative requirements. If an application is declined,
automated advice is sent to each applicant. The WA Police Force has sent
correspondence to firearms dealers without the application process, so the dealers who are the first point of
contact for an applicant are able to advise applicants on the
application process.