Changes to ammo sales put safety at risk

Proposed changes to the sale of ammunition are putting the safety of firearm owners and their families at risk, according to the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW), which represents more than 45,000 members in NSW.

SSAA NSW executive director Diana Melham says the changes to the law surrounding ammunition sales pose a serious risk to licensed, law abiding firearm owners.

“The changes the NSW Firearms Registry have made require individual firearms dealers to record the name and address of anyone who purchases ammunition.

“If these details were to fall into the wrong hands, it would be a shopping list for criminals.”

Ms Melham said that there are already strict laws in place surrounding the sale of ammunition in NSW.

“In order to legally purchase ammunition you have to present your NSW firearms licence and you are only able to purchase ammunition for the specific category of firearm that you own.”

Ms Melham said that despite strong objections from the members of the NSW Government’s Firearms Consultative Committee, the changes had been pushed through without being able to identify a single benefit.

“We want to work with the government on sensible and effective laws that target illegal gun crime, but these changes won’t stop a single crime.”

Ms Melham said the only people affected by these laws would be licensed, law abiding firearm owners and local firearm dealers.

“The changes to the sale of ammunition will create a mountain of additional work for firearms dealers.”

Ms Melham said that St Marys Indoor Shooting Centre will be recording more than 70,000 transactions every year once the changes are implemented

“How will these thousands of names and addresses help police solve a single crime?” she asked.

“This is just another burden on licensed, law abiding firearm owners, which even government MPs admit won’t have any impact on illegal gun crime in NSW.

“The government is creating more bureaucratic red tape instead of paying attention to the crime scene tape where illegal firearms have been used.”