Opposition MPs in Western Australia’s Legislative Council (upper house) have spoken up this week about their many issues regarding the draconian and objectionable Firearms Bill 2024 – and in particular, the unsatisfactory Government and police responses to reasonable questions about matters relating to the Bill’s necessity in the first place.
The Bill was passed by the Western Australian Legislative Assembly (lower house) on 26 March, and is now under consideration by the state’s Legislative Council.
On 14 May, North Metropolitan MP and Opposition Leader Peter Collier tabled a motion, supported by Metropolitan South MP Nick Goiran, in the Legislative Council to refer the Firearms Bill 2024 to the Standing Committee on Legislation (SCL) due to the overwhelming community concern regarding it.
Mr Collier spoke at length about the Bill’s issues on 14 May. He also took aim at WA Police’s inability to provide straightforward information, and with Police Minister Paul Papalia’s non-answers to fairly basic questions.
“I asked a question just last week on 8 May. I said: (1) ‘Which jurisdictions in Australia have gun limits included in their firearms acts?’ (2) ‘Which jurisdictions in Australia require those applying for a gun licence to meet mental health requirements?’ It is a very simple question. The minister must know,” he said.
“The answer states, ‘Western Australia is leading the nation in elevating public safety as its paramount consideration with respect to firearms possession and use in accordance with the National Firearms Agreement’.
“We are getting the information to bring us in line with the rest of the nation, so surely the rest of the nation must have limits and mental health requirements or else, why are we doing this? We have been told ad nauseam that we are bringing this legislation in line with the rest of the nation.”
Mr Collier said an earlier question from him regarding how many registered vs unregistered guns had been used in crimes from 2019 to the present was met with a particularly concerning response.
He said the response stated, “The Western Australia Police Force does not distinguish between crimes involving registered and unregistered firearms. The Western Australia Police Force can provide a record of crimes incidents where the modus operandi is ‘firearm’.
“They still do not actually know which of these guns are registered and unregistered, and yet getting all these unregistered guns off the streets has been the poster child of this legislation,” Mr Collier said.
“Let us face it, as far as limits are concerned, if the premise is that we will come into line with other jurisdictions, it is wrong. There are no other jurisdictions that have it.
“WAPOL does not know and cannot provide information about the number of illegal guns; therefore, that premise is wrong.”
Mr Collier reiterated his respect for Police and the difficulties of their job, but said he was frustrated by the number of his requests for information which were met with some variation on why the answers could not be provided.
“I know the police do a hard job, and every time they get three or four questions from me, they must just roll their eyes, but we are dealing with a piece of legislation that will impact a significant number of legitimate gun owners in Western Australia. I owe it to them to provide them with answers,” he said.
“If a piece of legislation is being developed, surely it is being developed on facts, not just on whims, how the minister might feel or how WAPOL might feel. Surely it is based on facts, but apparently not. That is why I am frustrated.”
Speaking in the Legislative Council on 16 May, East Metropolitan MP Dr Brian Walker said he supported the motion to send the Bill to the SLC.
He pointed out the 32,000 signatures on the petition calling for the Bill to be referred represented a considerably higher number of people in the real world.
“Under the star system for social media, every star report is equivalent to one-tenth of what is felt by the buying public. Only one-tenth of the public will give any comment or feedback on their purchase,” he said.
“If that is the case and 32,000 people had the nerve or the urge to comment, that is about 20 per cent of our voters.
“If that is the level of concern in the community, we, as a Parliament, ought to do something that Parliaments should do all the time; that is, listen to the people and serve the people.”
South West Region MP Louise Kingston was among those who also supported the referral motion, questioning whether the Government had consulted with the firearms community in good faith – and putting forward an argument that the answer was ‘no’.
Discussion on the motion to refer the Bill to the SLC will resume on 28 May, the next sitting day for the WA Legislative Council.
We gotta unite cause it ain’t just about the guns it’s also about the restricted fishing zones from Esperance to South Australia and 4wd access for the 4wd enthusiasts it’s about us being subservient to the ruling class citizens without a voice to speak up forever silenced it’ll get much worse if we keep playing their game