FIREARMS AMENDMENT (STRENGTHENING FIREARMS SECURITY) BILL 2026 (No. 30)

Ms BURNET - Thank you, Chair. I thank Ms Butler for introducing this and the Labor Party for their stance and their impassioned speeches. I think that caps is, clearly, the nub of this debate right now, but also an important step for us post‑Bondi to introduce this.

Back in 1996 we had significant reforms. And we had what's missing now. We had a tripartite approach from across this Chamber. Everybody was united to rein in guns and to support the buyback. We know that across Australia there were 640,000 guns handed back. 640,000 guns taken out of circulation. That was one approach. It was an approach to reduce the access to high calibre rapid fire firearms. And there was this approach which was united both here in the Tasmanian parliament but also at the federal level. We've heard about John Howard and his position and his leadership, but there were other leaders who took control as well.

I just want to talk about the Police Commissioner and her position, but also the position that was taken by the Victorian government in the wake of the Bondi massacre. The Victorian government commissioned a rapid review of its firearm laws, including whether a limit should be imposed on the number of firearms held by an individual, and the review was overseen by former Police Commissioner, Ken Lay AO APM and he concluded that there is a strong and well‑established correlation between lower levels of firearm availability in the community and reductions in firearm related harm. So, lower levels in the community and reductions in firearm related harm.

The post‑Port Arthur massacre reforms were associated with significant declines in firearm deaths, both in total numbers and on a per capita basis and this relationship provides an important policy rationale for regulation aimed at reducing the overall number of firearms in the community. We've seen the number of deaths caused by firearms after 1996 decline by two thirds. This should come as no surprise because the number of Australians holding a firearms licence declined by 48 per cent, according to research by the University of Sydney. However, there has been growth in the total number of firearms in Australia, which is being driven by existing firearm owners acquiring more firearms. The Commissioner in his report gave examples of fisheries management which shows how practical catch limits can reduce harm without banning a lawful industry. You could still have firearms, but you bring in caps. It's not banning it completely, you just bring in caps and that can help. The limits are monitored, enforced, and adjusted as better data becomes available. Caps are a practical way to manage risk where unrestricted growth could increase harm.

Victoria took up that challenge in the wake of the Bondi massacre. They tasked an independent expert to transparently assess those options for reform and the recommendation ‑ caps. The fact that the Victorian government rejected their independent expert recommendations was a political decision. What matters is what the experts recommend, and they recommend caps. So I'll listen to the experts and I won't be playing the politics of my decision.

Chair, we owe this to not only the Police Commissioner and the people under her command, those people, those first responders who are on the front line going to dangerous situations - everyday they are at risk. They put their own lives at risk, she's spoken out about that and we've heard that from many people across the Chamber. But we owe it to the first responders, we owe it to every victim of family violence, we owe it to the legacy of those people who were killed or injured at Port Arthur and at Bondi and the ripple that goes through our community now.

We need to introduce these caps and I do implore the crossbench to reconsider. For those members who have decided that they don't believe that caps is the way to go, this is too critical for our community. It has ramifications for first responders, people who are associated with those who are also facing family and domestic violence and we know that it's too high. We've had fantastic leadership and advocacy from many people and I commend this amendment. I think it's an important amendment and it would only strengthen this bill.