Dametto Condemns Queensland Community Safety Bill as an Assault on Firearm Owners

26 August 2024

The landscape of firearm ownership in Queensland suffered a major shift this week with the passing of the Queensland Community Safety Bill in State Parliament.

Promoted as a bill focused on community safety and the ratcheting up of youth justice measures, the Queensland Community Safety Bill also contained over 40 pages of Weapon Act changes that will put at risk an estimated 20,000 current firearm licences and jeopardise the future for many more.

Denied the right to speak during the debate of the Bill, KAP had no choice but to vote the entire bill down.

Hinchinbrook MP and KAP Deputy Leader Nick Dametto explained that there were some parts of the bill to do with youth justice that may have had some positive impacts on easing youth crime, but said that because of the addition of Weapons Act amendments and their critically dire nature, the party was left with no choice but to vote the whole bill down.

“It’s difficult to explain everything that was wrong and misleading about this bill, but one thing is for certain – it was nothing to do with community safety and everything to do with trying to reduce the amount of licenced firearm owners in Queensland,” Mr Dametto said.

“To start with, there wasn’t genuine stakeholder consultation in the lead up to the bill which put the whole industry offside right from the start. This was followed by a grossly inadequate public submission period which only served to deliver confusion, frustration and anger across the entire shooting community.

“It’s no secret there are government members and bureaucrats who are anti-firearms and this was most likely their final chance to try and inflict pain and detriment to the law-abiding firearm community before the October state election.

“It came as a shock that this blatant attack on legitimate firearm users was supported by the LNP. Firearms are tools of the trade relied on by so many regional Queenslanders, and for the coalition to turn their backs on that should come as a shock to many. We all know Labor only focuses on Brisbane but if the Opposition no longer wish to represent regional Queensland and want to support reckless legislation like this, then how are they different from Labor at all?”

KAP Member for Hill, Shane Knuth, said it was disgraceful to not be given a chance to speak to this highly complex bill, which cuts across twelve different Acts.

“It is evident this bill is targeting legitimate, law-abiding firearm owners. Instead, the Government should be focusing all their efforts on wiping out the illegal gun trade in this state.”

KAP Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter said “Let’s not beat around the bush here – this is an out and out attack on licenced firearm owners, and both Brisbane parties have rammed this through the parliament and voted in favour.

“It’s illegal firearm owners that our laws should be targeting, yet here we have more threats to law abiding, licensed people.”

A small reprieve for the shooting community came with a last-minute amendment being introduced by Police Minister Mark Ryan MP correcting the bill so that in cases where a person has no conviction recorded it will not count as a “disqualifying offence” for the purposes of applying for a firearms licence.

This important amendment was a direct result of the tireless lobbying of shooting members, supporters, Shooters Union and all firearm advocacy groups across Queensland.

One of the most serious consequences of the new legislation is the change to the fit and proper person test. Under the new laws, a person who has been convicted of a newly prescribed offence, will not be considered a fit and proper person for 10 years post the conviction date. The result of this will mean that even those who currently hold a licence are at risk of not having it renewed.[1]

Licensed firearm owners who need assistance with their licensing matters are encouraged to contact their preferred shooting association for assistance.

-END-

[1] Section 58 Amendment of s 10B (Fit and proper person—licensees), https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/bill.first/bill-2024-018#sec.58