The NSW Labor Government yesterday reversed the point of the largest petition ever presented to NSW parliament, which called for evidence‑based firearms legislation, saying there was no evidence behind the concerns it contained.
In responding to the petition, which was set up by SSAA NSW and signed by a record 98,660 people, Police Minister Yasmin Catley said shooters had no reason to feel targeted by the new firearm laws, which were presented as anti-terrorism legislation.
“In considering the request of the petition, the NSW Government reiterates its commitment to proportionate and evidence-based policy,” she said, despite the accusation that the laws disproportionately targeted law-abiding shooters without introducing any firearm-related aspects that would reduce the chances of future terrorist attacks.
She added that suggestions the laws “unfairly associate licensed and law-abiding firearms owners with terrorists or extremism … are not supported by evidence and do not reflect the intent of the laws passed in December.”
She spoke for about 3½ minutes on behalf of the Minns Government during a nearly hour-long debate and merely reiterated the government’s rhetoric on the legislation it passed just before Christmas.
She gave no evidence to counter any of the points raised in the petition.
Independent MP Roy Butler, who presented the petition to parliament, said the government should have tried to refute points made during the debate over the petition, but did not.
“There was no refuting of the arguments put forward because they cannot be refuted,” he said.
“As was the case last year, evidence is not part of the discussion.
“There was no evidence used [when the legislation was passed in December], and there is still no evidence being considered.
“There was no consultation, no evidence used and no understanding.”
Ten MPs, including Mr Butler, spoke in support of the petitioners and at least five others wanted to contribute to the debate but were unable.
“These laws were rushed for no reason other than to make it seem like the government was doing something,” Mr Butler said.
“Rushing laws without consulting those affected means doing something that inevitably leads to unintended consequences that can undermine the original intent of the law.
“The deep offence that these egregious firearms restrictions have stirred up around the state is palpable. People are angry, not just in my electorate to the west of the state but along the coast and in suburban Sydney electorates as well.
“They are angry about being implicated in a bill with ‘terrorism’ in the title — another example of how little thought went into this.
“The new laws will do nothing to make us safer because they will not change how criminals and terrorists operate but they will have a huge personal and financial impact on law-abiding firearms owners — good people — and a major political impact on the 2027 election.”
Leader of the Nationals, Gurmesh Singh, spoke of the “white hot anger” among the community after the laws were rushed through, and noted that the four-gun limit on recreational shooters was a “vanity project” of Premier Chris Minns who claimed to have the country’s toughest laws because the limit was one fewer than was allowed under WA’s ownership limits.
Besides Ms Catley, only one other government MP, David Mehan, spoke, and he attempted to take a more conciliatory approach than Ms Catley, saying local MPs were listening to their constituents about the issue.
He urged people to wait until the regulations associated with the legislation was completed.
“I am confident that if that work continues in the way it is currently going under the Minister for Police and Counter‑terrorism, the concerns held by licensed firearms owners in my community will be addressed, notwithstanding the current angst over the way the bill was brought to the house,” he said.
The regulations are expected to take many more months to be written, leaving firearm businesses in the state in dire financial stress, the NSW Firearms Registry stretched beyond its limits as it manually processes a record number of new firearms licence applications, and about a quarter of a million firearm owners in limbo as they wait to find out about their future status.
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