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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1187 asked in the Legislative Council on 3 November 2020 by Hon Rick Mazza

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

NATIONAL FIREARMS AMNESTY

1187. Hon RICK MAZZA to the minister representing the Minister for Police:

I refer to my question without notice 1043, asked on 8 October 2020, regarding a national firearms amnesty.

(1) Given that there is considerable public interest to remove illegal firearms from the community and given that there may be some resistance from people to surrender firearms and firearm-related items at police stations, will WA Police Force consider allowing people to hand in firearms and firearm-related items without fear of prosecution to licensed firearms dealers, as has been the case with amnesty programs in Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales?

(2) If yes, can the minister advise whether consideration be given to permit firearms dealers to —

(a) register anonymously surrendered firearms;

(b) possess anonymously surrendered firearms; and

(c) transport anonymously surrendered firearms?

Hon STEPHEN DAWSON replied:

I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister for Police.

The Western Australia Police Force advises the following.

(1) No. It is usual practice under firearms amnesties for firearms to be surrendered at police stations. Many of the firearms will be unlicensed and will require police to conduct investigations relating to the firearms' use and origins. Some will be required for forensic examination, some will be prohibited firearms and cannot be licensed and some will not be serviceable. Some will be permitted to be licensed, but most will likely, based on previous experience, be destroyed, and only police have the legislative power to destroy firearms in Western Australia. The proposition to use firearms dealers for this process would add an unnecessary burden on logistics and complicate the process.

(2) Not applicable.