YOUNGER shooters, mandatory jail time and legalised paintball are in the state government’s sights. After failing to introduce gun reform this year the government yesterday announced a March 2015 timeline for the measures. They represent the most wide-ranging changes to the Firearms Act in more than a decade for Tasmanians, whose recent history has been stained by gun violence. The proposed changes would see the shooting age for hunters drop from 16 to 15. Further watering down of the law will see paintball legalised, pleasing industry but frustrating anti-gun activists. However, tougher measures are in store for people caught with stolen firearms facing three-month mandatory jail terms. While stricter gun storage requirements are on the cards they are yet to be drafted, although Police Minister Rene Hidding told Parliament they would apply to ‘‘all firearm owners’’. ‘‘In order to provide a strong deterrent to the persistent problem of frightening firearm-related burglaries in our community there will be an enhanced storage regime,’’ he said. The need to beef-up gun storage comes in response to the more than 500 firearms that have been stolen in the past two years, some from homes with small arsenals. A recent review of the Firearms Act recommended homes, with more than 15 guns, install compulsory alarm systems that are connected to police or security firms. It’s unclear if the government will go this far. Tasmanian Firearm Owners Association president John Green said the government was likely to outlaw timber-only made gun safes and require them to be built with thick steel. Mr Green, who sits on the government’s firearms consultative committee, said alarmed safes were pointless if security firms or police couldn’t respond in time. The gun lobby had been pushing for the shooting age to be dropped to 14 but Mr Green said 15 was a good start. Mr Hidding framed the measures as striking a balance and noted Tasmania’s shooting age would remain the highest in Australia.
YOUNGER shooters, mandatory jail time and legalised paintball are in the state government’s sights.
After failing to introduce gun reform this year the government yesterday announced a March 2015 timeline for the measures.
They represent the most wide-ranging changes to the Firearms Act in more than a decade for Tasmanians, whose recent history has been stained by gun violence.
The proposed changes would see the shooting age for hunters drop from 16 to 15.
Further watering down of the law will see paintball legalised, pleasing industry but frustrating anti-gun activists.
However, tougher measures are in store for people caught with stolen firearms facing three-month mandatory jail terms.
While stricter gun storage requirements are on the cards they are yet to be drafted, although Police Minister Rene Hidding told Parliament they would apply to ‘‘all firearm owners’’.
‘‘In order to provide a strong deterrent to the persistent problem of frightening firearm-related burglaries in our community there will be an enhanced storage regime,’’ he said.
The need to beef-up gun storage comes in response to the more than 500 firearms that have been stolen in the past two years, some from homes with small arsenals.
A recent review of the Firearms Act recommended homes, with more than 15 guns, install compulsory alarm systems that are connected to police or security firms.
It’s unclear if the government will go this far.
Tasmanian Firearm Owners Association president John Green said the government was likely to outlaw timber-only made gun safes and require them to be built with thick steel.
Mr Green, who sits on the government’s firearms consultative committee, said alarmed safes were pointless if security firms or police couldn’t respond in time.
The gun lobby had been pushing for the shooting age to be dropped to 14 but Mr Green said 15 was a good start.
Mr Hidding framed the measures as striking a balance and noted Tasmania’s shooting age would remain the highest in Australia.
