POLICE — FIREARM OWNERSHIP
442. Hon
JAMES HAYWARD to the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the purchase of a .50
calibre rifle by the Western Australia Police Force.
(1) What was the cost of the .50
calibre rifle purchased by WA police on 24 February 2022?
(2) For what purpose was the .50
calibre rifle purchased?
(3) Do WA police have an ongoing
need to own a .50 calibre rifle, and if so, what may it be used for?
(4) Is the .50
calibre rifle purchased by WA police on 24 February 2022 the same rifle that
the Minister for Police was photographed with at the press conference on 22
March 2022?
Hon
STEPHEN DAWSON replied:
Honourable member, you asked this
question last week. I was going to provide the answer at the end of question
time. The question that the member read now is slightly different from that
one; it has changed. I will provide the answer anyway, but the member has two
different questions in the system about the same issue.
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following information has been provided to me
by the Minister for Police.
The Western Australia Police Force
advises:
(1) The cost was $8 500.
(2) Ballistic reference source,
investigations and firing demonstrations.
(3) Yes, the Western Australia Police Force has an
extensive ballistic reference library of firearms and ammunition that
are used in various ways to assist police in the investigation of incidents
that involve firearms.
(4) The .50 calibre rifle was
displayed at a media launch on 22 March 2022.