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Unified gun laws targeted
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Unified gun laws targeted
By Sean Parnell
July 17, 2002
THE Howard Government plans to use its constitutional powers to override state and territory gun laws in a bid to wipe out the illegal firearms trade.
Six years after Prime Minister John Howard responded to the Port Arthur massacre with tougher gun laws, the government will today use the debate over illegal handguns to push for nationally-consistent laws and penalties.
Justice Minister Chris Ellison told The Courier-Mail last night he believed the Commonwealth's trade and commerce powers under the constitution could be used to fight gun trafficking.
Senator Ellison said it was wrong for states to have differing penalties for possession of unlicensed firearms, with jail terms ranging from two years in Western Australia to 14 years in New South Wales.
Senator Ellison said laws governing the manufacture of guns and gun parts also differed, and some states still did not have laws to deal with serial numbers being removed from weapons.
"We've made it clear that we believe there needs to be a national firearms trafficking agreement, and we believe that by using our powers under the constitution we could deliver a comprehensive approach to gun control," Senator Ellison said.
Senator Ellison will unveil the plan at a meeting with state and territory police ministers in Darwin today, where he will also call on police to tighten their regulation of gun dealers and increase scrutiny of licensing conditions.
He said the community did not want governments to allow an underground trade in handguns by outlaw motorcycle gangs and other groups intent on committing armed robberies and violent crimes.
Queensland Police Minister Tony McGrady said last night he was keen to hear the Commonwealth's plan.
"We want to do all that we can to prohibit the illegal importation of handguns," Mr McGrady said.
Today's meeting will also discuss the formation of an Australian Crime Commission.
Mr McGrady said the states would only support the formation of the ACC if the Commonwealth agreed to consult on the appointment of a chief executive officer and address cost-shifting issues.
Mr McGrady said state police services should not have to incur the financial burden of taking over the NCA's major crime investigations.
But Senator Ellison said the Commonwealth would fund the ACC and the Australian Federal Police and the states had to "meet their share of the costs in fighting organised crime."
Mr McGrady said the Commonwealth was yet to convince stakeholders the ACC would not be a "second-rate law enforcement agency" which did the paperwork for other agencies.
"I am hoping (Senator Ellison) will come to the meeting with some proposals which will make out fears disappear," he said.
Senator Ellison said the meeting would discuss the appointment of a chief executive officer to the ACC and the structure of the ACC board.
The Courier-Mail
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4719800%5E421,00.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
By Sean Parnell
July 17, 2002
THE Howard Government plans to use its constitutional powers to override state and territory gun laws in a bid to wipe out the illegal firearms trade.
Six years after Prime Minister John Howard responded to the Port Arthur massacre with tougher gun laws, the government will today use the debate over illegal handguns to push for nationally-consistent laws and penalties.
Justice Minister Chris Ellison told The Courier-Mail last night he believed the Commonwealth's trade and commerce powers under the constitution could be used to fight gun trafficking.
Senator Ellison said it was wrong for states to have differing penalties for possession of unlicensed firearms, with jail terms ranging from two years in Western Australia to 14 years in New South Wales.
Senator Ellison said laws governing the manufacture of guns and gun parts also differed, and some states still did not have laws to deal with serial numbers being removed from weapons.
"We've made it clear that we believe there needs to be a national firearms trafficking agreement, and we believe that by using our powers under the constitution we could deliver a comprehensive approach to gun control," Senator Ellison said.
Senator Ellison will unveil the plan at a meeting with state and territory police ministers in Darwin today, where he will also call on police to tighten their regulation of gun dealers and increase scrutiny of licensing conditions.
He said the community did not want governments to allow an underground trade in handguns by outlaw motorcycle gangs and other groups intent on committing armed robberies and violent crimes.
Queensland Police Minister Tony McGrady said last night he was keen to hear the Commonwealth's plan.
"We want to do all that we can to prohibit the illegal importation of handguns," Mr McGrady said.
Today's meeting will also discuss the formation of an Australian Crime Commission.
Mr McGrady said the states would only support the formation of the ACC if the Commonwealth agreed to consult on the appointment of a chief executive officer and address cost-shifting issues.
Mr McGrady said state police services should not have to incur the financial burden of taking over the NCA's major crime investigations.
But Senator Ellison said the Commonwealth would fund the ACC and the Australian Federal Police and the states had to "meet their share of the costs in fighting organised crime."
Mr McGrady said the Commonwealth was yet to convince stakeholders the ACC would not be a "second-rate law enforcement agency" which did the paperwork for other agencies.
"I am hoping (Senator Ellison) will come to the meeting with some proposals which will make out fears disappear," he said.
Senator Ellison said the meeting would discuss the appointment of a chief executive officer to the ACC and the structure of the ACC board.
The Courier-Mail
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,4719800%5E421,00.html
"If cowardly and dishonorable men sometimes shoot unarmed men with army pistols or guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary and gallows, and not by a general deprivation of a constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878