Victorian Labor Party position on making gun laws workable
Media Statement
5 March 1998
STATE OPPOSITION TOTALLY COMMITTED TO NATIONAL GUN LAWS AGREEMENT
The State Opposition remains totally committed to uniform national gun laws and will oppose any attempt by the Kennett Government to undermine them, State Opposition Leader, Mr. John Brumby said today.
Mr. Brumby said Victoria must stick by the National Firearms Code established at the Special Police Ministers Council in May 1996.
"The National Code specifically requires all jurisdictions (states) to establish a 28-day waiting period prior to the issuing of all firearms permits," Mr. Brumby said.
"It also stipulates that a separate permit be required for the acquisition of every firearm.
"The Kennett Government's plan to waive this 28-day waiting period in some circumstances is therefore a clear and unambiguous breach of the National Code and the State Opposition can not and will not support it.
"Labor remains committed to the National Code and will vigorously oppose any attempts by the Kennett Government to water down or compromise this agreement.
"Premier Kennett's claims that his proposed changes will not undermine the national approach to gun laws are simply not true and not believable."
Mr. Brumby said if the Kennett Government believed there were aspects of the National Code which needed to be addressed, then they should be addressed at the next meeting of the Police Ministers in June.
"The only matters which should be dealt with at a state level are those of an administrative or fine tuning nature, which will not compromise or call into question the agreed National Code," he said.
"It is not for Premier Kennett and Bill McGrath to put Victoria one out and jeapordise the enormous community goodwill and bipartisanship, which led to the establishment of uniform national gun laws."
Mr. Brumby said premier Kennett was allowing his personal animosity towards prime Minister Howard to cloud his judgement.
"As Walter Mikac said; 'If the national gun policy loses its uniformity, then all that has been learned and achieved after Port Arthur will be lost.'
"Walter Mikac is right. Victoria must not breach the national gun controls."
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