QLD Police Amnesty Fail Will Cause Negative Public Safety Impacts

The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) worked with all Australian state and territory governments to implement a Permanent No-Fault Firearms Amnesty, due to commence implementation on July 1^st 2021. This measure is generally perceived by the wider public and LAFO community alike to be a positive measure for public safety.

Shooters Union president Graham Park said the amnesty model starting next week was a disaster waiting to happen. “The

entire point of an amnesty is that people can anonymously surrender things they’re not supposed to have, no questions asked and with an iron-clad guarantee there will be no repercussions,” he said.

Unfortunately, the Queensland Police Minister, Mark Ryan MP and Queensland Police Legislation Branch have failed to put in place the legislative and practical arrangements to implement the amnesty in the spirit in which it was intended.

Two quotes from SIFA’s Executive Officer, James Walsh, include:

“the Police Minister has reneged on an agreement he made that would make it easier for Queensland firearms dealers to facilitate the amnesty, prompting calls of a boycott from firearms dealers right across Queensland.”

“SIFA is concerned that as licensed dealers are advising they won’t accept anonymously surrendered firearms due to the added burdens imposed on them, that illegal firearms will remain in the community as those who want to surrender a firearm anonymously, but do not want to present to a police station will have no other options available to them.”

This begs the question, what is Queensland Police’s aim in effectively scuppering a Federal Amnesty in their state.

You can view the SIFA report here.