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Bringing a handgun into Australia
(NT) for hunting
10
October 2002
In
response to your email, foreign hunters can not bring handguns
into Australia for the purpose of hunting.
As a result of
amendments to the Customs (Prohibited Import) Regulations in 2000,
which are aimed at controlling the importation of handguns into
Australia, the activity of Safari Hunting is no longer recognised.
These amendments now restricted the application of the police authorisation
test for approval to import Category H (pistols) firearms to only
the following categories of persons:
* Certified buyer
* Person certified
for business or occupational purposes
* Person who
is not required to hold a licence or authorisation to possess the
article in the relevant State or Territory
* Certified sports
shooter
* Certified Collector
* Certified international
sports shooter
Prior to these
amendments, Police could authorise the importation of handguns
for hunting purposes on Customs form B709A, and the Northern Territory
policy was that persons wishing to import firearms into Australia
for hunting purposes could only do so through a recognised safari
company.
The Safari Company
would organise the importation permit and temporary (visitors)
firearms permit through the NT Police Firearms Policy & Records
Unit. The firearm/s would be only be imported direct to the Safari
Company and used solely for that particular Safari that the person
had booked. The person was not permitted to travel around Australia
with the weapon/s, and on completion of the safari the firearm/s
are re-exported out of Australia.
Although the
importation of Category H (handguns) is no longer permitted, this
policy and process is still applicable for the importation of Category
A and B firearms (longarms) for safari hunting purposes.
Outlined are
the 5 recognised categories of firearms in Australia, the applicable
ones for importation are Category A & B only:
Category A Firearms
Air rifles
Rimfire rifles, other than self-loading
Shotguns, other than
pump action or self-loading
Shotgun and rimfire rifle combinations
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Category B Firearms
Muzzleloading firearms
Centrefire rifles, other
than self-loading
Shotgun and centre-fire rifle combinations |
Under current
legislation in the Northern Territory, safari operators are only
issued a handgun for occupational safety reasons as they operate
in remote and hostile environs and they have a duty of care to
their clients, and also for the purposes of carrying out humane
destruction of wounded/misshot animals. The handgun can only be
possessed and used by licenced employees of the Safari Operators
Corporate firearm licence.
As far as I am
aware, no other jurisdiction in Australia allows safari hunting
with Category H (handguns) firearms.
Stefan Herold
Officer in Charge
Firearms Policy & Records Unit
Northern Territory Police
NT
Registry
(08) 8922 3544
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