FIREARMS — LICENCE FEES
585. Hon JAMES HAYWARD to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the increase in firearms
licence fees, in effect from 1 July 2021.
(1) Can the minister explain why the
increases were in excess of consumer price index increases?
(2) Can the minister explain why in
some cases licence fees increased by over 130 per cent?
(3) What is the
amount of additional revenue that the increases will raise over the budget
estimates period?
Hon STEPHEN DAWSON
replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following information has been provided to me
by the Minister for Police. Noting that notice of this question was given on 5
August, the information is valid as of that date.
(1) The firearms
licence fees and charges administered by the Western Australia Police Force are
determined under a cost-recovery model. This
model ensures that fees cannot exceed the cost of providing the relevant
service to the community. For years, these
fees have not been cost reflective. Effective 1 July 2021, a two-year
transition to full cost recovery for firearms licence fees has been
implemented.
(2) Some fees were significantly lower than cost
recovery, and Western Australia remains the second cheapest of the
states in Australia for a new firearms licence overall.
(3) The Western Australia
Police Force advises it is $936 000 in 2021–22; $1 188 000 in 2022–23;
$167 000 in 2023–24; and $167 000 in 2024–25.