Comment on Anthony Albanese must show the same determination as John Howard following the Port Arthur massacre
Zagorath@aussie.zone 1 day agoI would also like to see them change straight pull action rifles and shotguns to class C
I heard some talk of moving away from the class-based system entirely, to a more case-by-case system.
I’m not against the citizen only limitation
Personally, as someone else unaffected (as both a citizen and someone not interested in owning a fun anyway), I am. I don’t like the idea of permanent residents being treated as second-class citizens.
In terms of number limits, I am also unsure if this will have any significant influence
I have no idea if this is true, but I heard that after Ahmed al Ahmed disarmed him, one of the shooters ran off and got another gun. Gun limits would certainly prevent that scenario.
And also various other scenarios, like one person owning enough guns to help arm others who do not/cannot own their own. Or using multiple guns because it’s quicker to switch than to reload.
The optics are bad of restricting gun ownership to citizens, but guns ought not be something people are entitled to like they are in America. It’s common sense that to use a gun within Australia someone should be a citizen of Australia. A non-citizen can always buy a bunch of guns, sell them, then hop the border to their home country.
In short, there should be the absolute maximum restrictions on guns. Every lever possible should be pulled.
It’s common sense that to use a gun within Australia someone should be a citizen of Australia
No it’s not. It’s common sense that a permanent resident should have all the same rights an Australian citizen does, apart from those specifically related to the functioning of our government (e.g. voting).
It’s not common sense that a permanent resident should have all the same rights. It’s perfectly valid that if someone isn’t considered worthy of being a citizen they should also not be considered worthy of owning lethal weapons.
Treating immigrants as second-class is gross and deeply unaustralian.
I think everyone should own a fun
Only with safety training and a valid reason for fun activities!
Dimand@aussie.zone 1 day ago
It is true that after he was disarmed he went and got another gun. The gun number argument feels like an ineffective bandaid though.
Is the collector with 20+ break action shotguns that are all over 60 years old and enjoys showing them off at the trap range is a worry, almost certainly not.
What about some random guy with two very similar straight pull shotguns that can easily be modified to a higher capacity mag. And who just put in an application for their 3rd and 4th very similar guns (within say a hypothetical 4 gun limit).
I would hope that the second person gets a much closer look over than the first. This is where an electronic national register and the resources to have closer individual scrutiny would be far more effective.
Zagorath@aussie.zone 1 day ago
Think of it less as a bandaid, and more as one small tool in a long list of tools used to prevent things like this.
And whoops. I actually started my last comment to make one main point, but added in a bunch of other points along with it. And then forgot to get to the main reason I started replying. So here it is:
Present laws treat antiques very differently from more modern guns with more utilitarian purpose. Future laws should continue to do this, IMO.
Along with moving away from a class-based system into a case-by-case system, perhaps rather than a specific number of guns, the law should include, as one of the factors in the case-by-case assessment, why the person needs an additional gun. If it’s filling a niche that the person very clearly cannot fill with their current guns (and which the person has a demonstrated need to fill), then allow it. Multiple of the same or similar type of weapon is less likely to be a valid reason than owning a rifle for pigs, an antique collectible, and a clay pigeon shotgun.
Dimand@aussie.zone 1 day ago
I like the idea of a case by case assessment. I feel like they should have already been doing this in the background and questioning people with sus armouries.
But I strongly disagree with the removal of the class system. I know it will get abused and some yahoo will successfully argue they need a semi auto rifle for some stupid reason and get it without having to go through the current class C license requirements.
Our class system is very effective and shouldn’t be watered down because of this.