The Alannah & Madeline Foundation and the Australian Gun Safety Alliance are bitterly disappointed that the Queensland government has turned its back on national gun reform.
Australian Gun Safety Alliance convenor and Alannah & Madeline Foundation advocacy advisor Stephen Bendle said:
“The Queensland Premier this week claimed to be strengthening gun laws, but the truth is that these reforms only enforce tougher penalties once a crime has already been committed. Alarmingly, some of his statements directly repeat the rhetoric of the firearm industry.
“Every other jurisdiction is considering significant reform such as restricting the type of weapons that were used at Bondi, restricting the unlimited number of guns that a person can have, strengthening background checks, and limiting licence periods.
“The Queensland Premier has ignored any of these preventative measures and instead used the firearm industry trope of ‘keeping guns out of the hands of bad guys’.
“The Queensland Premier has also ignored the recommendations of the Wieambilla Coroner in rejecting the call for mandatory mental health assessments for weapons licence applicants.
“In Queensland, 95% of people don’t own guns and yet the Premier has ignored the overwhelming public sentiment that supports stronger firearms laws.
“The firearm industry in Australia is strong and influential – nowhere stronger than Queensland. Their access to politicians is well known, and their political donations are on the public record. The Foundation had one brief meeting by Zoom with the Police Minister. As far as we know, that is the extent of the government’s consultation with the public on gun laws.
“The Queensland government has now fortified the weakest gun laws in Australia.”
Media enquiries:
Lana Burton | 0499 202 001 or [email protected]
Spokesperson:
Stephen Bendle
Advocacy Advisor, Alannah & Madeline Foundation
Convenor, Australian Gun Safety Alliance
