FIREARMS ACT — REVIEW
937. Hon AARON STONEHOUSE to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I
refer the minister to the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia's ''Review
of the Firearms Act 1973 (WA)'' dated October 2016, and
specifically to recommendation 14 regarding a relaxation of the law as it
applies to the use of sound suppressors by farmers in the conduct of their
business.
(1) Does the
minister concede that farmers can have a legitimate need for a sound
suppressor, for example, when undertaking pest control during lambing season,
or in areas adjacent to sensitive flora and fauna, such as nesting birds?
(2) Does the
minister agree with the Law Reform Commission's conclusion that the
inclusion of a provision within section 17B of the Firearms Act to allow
agricultural inspectors to use sound suppressors is a tacit acknowledgement of
the usefulness of these devices?
(3) What avenues,
if any, are currently open to a farmer looking to acquire a suppressor for use
in the conduct of their business?
(4) Would the
government be prepared to support a measure that would lead to either the full
or partial implementation of recommendation 14, permitting the wider use of
sound suppressors within an agricultural setting?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. This information has been provided to me by the
Minister for Police. The Western Australia Police Force advises the following.
(1) Recommendation
14 has been raised at the ministerial reform working group, which is
considering the Law Reform Commission recommendations. The issue requires further
work to determine a satisfactory solution.
(2) Only approved
agricultural inspectors under a corporate licence, and only to eradicate pest
birds, are permitted to use silencers under section 17B. The report
acknowledges the need for strict controls on silencers due to the potential
hazards they pose.
(3) None. The only persons able to apply for the use
of a silencer, under section 17B of the Firearms Act 1973, are officers
or employees of the Department of Agriculture and Food.
(4) See the
answer to (1).