SSAA speaks with 2DU radio about recent Melbourne University paper

2DU Morning Show, 16/09/2008 11.20am

Compere Leo DeKroo interviews Tim Bannister to discuss the release of the Australian Firearms Buy-Back and its effect on gun deaths report. Tim Bannister says the report states what the group predicted all those years ago, that buying back guns would have no effect on deaths by firearms, so unfortunately the taxpayer spent over $700 million at that time to buy back guns, where it could have been put to better use elsewhere.

Leo DeKroo: There was a report released, and it had to do with the gun buy-back. Now it was 1996 or so we made Australia a safer community, quote, unquote, by buying back guns, generally from people who were maybe unwilling, but honest enough to hand them back and some very nice guns were destroyed at the time and of course, a lot of money was spent as well. But hey, it was a political decision and there it was, $700 million or so.
Now there is a report out, the Australian Firearms Buy-Back and its Effect on Gun Deaths and the Sporting Shooters’ Association have got a fair bit to say about this obviously and we’re going to have a talk to Tim Bannister, who is with the National body of that group. Tim, a very good morning.

Tim Bannister: And good morning, Leo, good morning listeners.

Leo DeKroo: Now, what does the report actually say, Tim?

Tim Bannister: Well, it says what we predicted a dozen years ago, that buying back guns will have no change on death by firearms. On top of that, the report has also come out and said it hasn’t affected suicideas well.

Leo DeKroo: It hasn’t affected suicide?

Tim Bannister: That’s right, so for 30 years Australia has had a reducing firearm death rate, very gradual, year by year, but there was no blip or dip once the buy-back was introduced. So, unfortunately, us taxpayers spent about $700 million or more, buying back guns when that money at that time could have been spent on mental health or schools or hospitals.

Leo DeKroo: Have you had any reaction from either of the main parties?

Tim Bannister: Not today, they’ve had other things on...

Leo DeKroo: [Laughs] Yes, you’re going to have to chase up Malcolm Turnbull, now.

Tim Bannister: That’s right.

Leo DeKroo: But he wasn’t around, so you know, it’s not his fault.

Tim Bannister: That’s right, that’s right. So we’ll see where that goes.
Labor, federally, has said they have no plans for any further changes to licensing or regulations of the licensed shooter, I have been disappointed in the past with Peter Costello and Dr Nelson’s comments, that the buy-back was one of their proudest moments, and look, I’m a realist, if we spent $700 million and it didn’t achieve anything, then I’m not sure why they’re proud about it.
Everyone who’s old enough, and can remember the events at Port Arthur in ’96 were shocked and absolutely disgusted by what happened. But we got a political answer, we didn’t get a real answer, and we got an answer that cost us dearly financially, and also tainted the name of a lot of hunters and sportsmen and women.
We don’t bring it up when we see Russell Mark or Michael Diamond at the Olympics, we don’t have a go at them, but that’s exactly the kind of people who we made turn in their guns and paid them for it. So a lot of people - there were one million licensed shooters back in ’96, we insulted each and every one of them.

Leo DeKroo: Yes. So are you sort of quite satisfied now, that’s behind us and a waste of money obviously, but with the current arrangements of licensing and so forth?

Tim Bannister: What we as an association aren’t happy with, is an attitude, you know, shooters and hunters in New Zealand, for instance, are seen as an asset, you actually drive down the roads and you see a sign, ‘Good Deer Hunting Here’, all that sort of thing, and the Government actually recognises it as an activity, we need to get back to that so we are seen as having a legitimate activity, the same as archery, the same as fishing, and make sure the public starts to again understand that unfortunately it is the criminals and the mafia, the mentally ill, that perpetrate crimes with firearms.

Leo DeKroo: But at the time of course, when you mention now the unstable or mentally ill, whatever, if there are guns around, and in those days, there were, particularly on properties, farming properties, people with guns just on racks over the fireplace, down the hall, down near where the brooms stand, anyone basically could grab a gun and - so even - like with the report, it doesn’t even indicate that it’s helped, you talk suicide, for instance, and it just shows that it’s made no difference.

Tim Bannister: Yes, as I said, no political blip or dip, and not everyone could have had a gun 12 years ago, if you remember that Martin Bryant obtained his firearms illegally, not legally, he was even driving a car illegally, which the police knew about. Now times have changed, we are a big advocate of licensing the shooter, the person, we’re quite happy to have police checks, and make sure that person is safe to themselves and others, we are quite happy to have firearms stored correctly to legislation, but again, it is not the licensed shooter or their guns that cause a problem. The guns in the hands of bikies and mafioso and those who perpetrate crime, they get them by other means...

Leo DeKroo: Yes, exactly.

Tim Bannister: ...that is where money should be spent, that is where policing should be.

Leo DeKroo: Yes. Tim, always good to talk to you, thank you for your time.

Tim Bannister: Good to talk to you. Thanks, Leo.

Leo DeKroo: Tim Bannister joining us there, from the Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia, and that report, as I understand it, you can see, if anyone’s interested in that, on the web, so if you go to the Sporting Shooters’ Association and follow the links, I think you’ll find that that’s where that is available. But it’s through the Melbourne Uni, so probably a link through there as well.