All imports of firearms, ammunition and similar controlled items have been stopped overnight as a result of the Albanese Government’s new firearms laws, which were passed yesterday.
The laws came with no transition period and made no allowance for imports of newly banned imports that had already been approved, and the Custom department has cancelled all firearms-related import permits as it scrambles to work out how to administer the new laws.
“At this stage, we’re looking at stranded stock until we can confirm how we’re going to get that across the border,” CEO of the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia, James Walsh, said.
He said the industry was being given assurances that the situation would be resolved but added that he was getting conflicting messages about it and did not know how it would be resolved.
“We have a lot more questions now than answers.
“Even the [government] departments don’t seem to fully understand what’s happened and how it’s going to work.
“This is what happens when you rush legislation without properly consulting and even putting in proper transition periods.
“They should have given a 6 to 12 month transition into this, instead of just slamming legislation through that the departments weren’t ready for.”
Stock being stranded at the border is not only causing delays but is adding costs for importers.
“If that stuff has to sit on the customs side of the dock, there’s significant penalties for … storage and container use and all sorts of stuff.
“Every hour that passes, those costs will continue to rise.
“These businesses can’t be expected to cover the costs of importing what was legal under their licence, which is now illegal because of a change of policy.”
“That’s ludicrous.”
Mr Walsh added that it wasn’t just current shipments that worried the industry, but future stock that had been committed to.
Many Australian businesses have ordered and paid for stock that is now banned from import and, in the case of things like lever-release firearms, is only able to be sold on the Australian market because of its unique specification.
“It’s going to cost this business millions of dollars,” he said.
“This all needs to be compensated. The Prime Minister needs to come to the party and put up the money to pay for this legislation.
“It’s just another example of governments acting without thinking.
“The unintended consequences from this will be enormous.”
I cant see no eveidence of the cancellation of import permits on the ABF website. I nderstand that ongoing permits have been cancelled but it seems to me that if an importer applies for a permit for non prohibited imports it woill be processed as usual. Am I right? Is this just clickbait?
The information came directly from the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia and from another industry source. It seems to us that, yes, if an importer applies for a permit it would be processed but the point is existing permits had apparently been pulled and firearms-related imports were stopped at the border, with the implication that new permits would be required. However, as the story said, no one knew what the situation was at the time. We don’t do clickbait.