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.