Australian gun ownership increasing

[DW98]

Just another update from me.

Gun ownership in Australia is increasing, but self-defence still seems to be out of the question.

Quote from a sporting shooter, who also helps run a gun club.

" He was confident the gun control rules in place in Queensland were adequate to ensure gun control didn't get out of hand or cause the kind of shootings becoming more and more common in America.

Mr Davis said the American rules were "very different" to those in Australia.

"The laws are absolutely different to America, they should have more of what we've got," he said.

"You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing."

It's refreshing to hear that more people are being involved in the sport, but we still have a long way to go.

Anti-article.

A gun for every 1-in-10 people as numbers soar to above 700,000 across NSW

ARSENALS of high-powered rifles and other firearms are flourishing in Sydney suburbs as the number of privately owned guns in NSW climbs above 700,000.

Lobby group Gun Control Australia will use today’s 18th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre to launch a renewed campaign against widespread gun ownership across the state, with calls for the government to clamp down on laws and back away from deals with the Shooters and Fishers Party.

Gun ownership figures obtained under freedom of information by GCA and supplied exclusively to The Daily Telegraph show there are 700,894 firearms registered to private owners in NSW — almost one for every 10 people in the state — including 416,726 Category A weapons. Category

A firearms include air rifles, rim-fire rifles and some shotguns.

GCA spokeswoman Samantha Lee said an influential gun lobby had gradually eroded the government agreement on gun control made after the 1996 Port Arthur shootings.

“With drive-by shootings occurring nearly every week in Sydney (More like every day or so), it is time the NSW Premier cleaned up this state by firstly cleaning up our gun numbers,” she said.
“The laws have allowed for private arsenals to flourish in Sydney suburbs. The more guns in the community, the more likely they will be stolen and fall into the black market.”

Among those supporting GCA’s stance is Sydney criminal lawyer Michelle Fernando, whose mentally ill sister fatally shot her father, Vincent, in August 2010, with a handgun stolen from a gun club where she was a probationary member.

Ms Fernando, the face of a GCA anti-gun video set to go live online today, said it was too easy for people in NSW to obtain a firearm.

“There’s an obvious fix but it is so very hard to achieve because the gun lobby is so powerful,” she said. “This is despite the fact that the majority of Australians want sensible gun laws.”

Shooters and Fishers Party MLC Robert Brown argued that gun ownership controls in NSW were already among the toughest in Australia. “There is no correlation between legal ownership of firearms and the illegal gun trade,” he said.

A spokeswoman for Police Minister Mike Gallacher said a Coalition government would not relax gun laws.

“We have implemented a number of initiatives to target those who illegally use firearms, including tighter controls around ammunition supply in 2012 and the introduction of firearm prohibition orders in 2013,” she said.

The Port Arthur massacre remains one of the deadliest shootings committed by one person.

Twenty-eight year old Martin Bryant, from New Town in Hobart, Tasmania, killed 35 people when he went on a shooting spree, mostly at the Broad Arrow Cafe in the historic Port Arthur tourist attraction from April 28-29, 1996.

Bryant eventually pleaded guilty to the massacre and received 35 life sentences without the possibility of parole.

And for the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

It seems we just can get enough guns on the Sunshine Coast

THOUGHT you wouldn't find many guns on the Sunshine Coast? Think again.

Figures provided by Queensland Police show there are 26,261 registered weapons in the region, or one gun for about every 10 residents.

The weapons don't all belong to farmers, as you might expect, and the numbers and interest in gun ownership are growing daily.

Maroochydore has the largest number of weapons, with 3832 registered weapons, followed by Nambour with 3689 weapons.

Several weapons may be licensed to one owner.

Russell Davis, from the Sunshine Coast Shooting Club Inc., said there was likely to be "hundreds" more unregistered weapons on the Sunshine Coast. I think he's being very modest there

Interest in shooting was steadily on the increase, with many new people enrolling in the New Shooter Program offered at the shooting club in Yandina.

AT the last event, held two weeks ago, 67 new people turned up, of which "70% were women".

Mr Davis said a large number were also younger children, aged between 11 and 18, who were discovering shooting with pistols to be a fun, safe and exciting sport.

The State Government's $150 "Get Started" voucher to encourage youths to get into sport was also helping more children get involved.

Interest in guns and weapons prompted the opening of a gun shop in the heart of the region's principal activity centre - on Aerodrome Rd in Maroochydore - about 12 months ago.

This shop received "about five inquiries for gun ownership" each day.

Mr Davis said the interest was from those keen to learn a new and exciting sport and had little to do with concerns for safety.

He was confident the gun control rules in place in Queensland were adequate to ensure gun control didn't get out of hand or cause the kind of shootings becoming more and more common in America.

Mr Davis said the American rules were "very different" to those in Australia.

"The laws are absolutely different to America, they should have more of what we've got," he said.

"You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing."

He said the laws which required gun owners to be involved in clubs like the shooting club helped keep a close eye on potential rogue elements.

"If we think someone is dodgy, we won't give them an application form (for a licence) and we will pass the information on to other clubs to be wary of them," he said.

"This is because if anything goes wrong, it comes back on us."

The club also caters for birthday parties for children over the age of 11 and provided an outlet for those with a disability.

"We have a blind fellow shoot with us. He only has 5% vision in the one eye," Mr Davis said.

"This is how safe the sport is. People are not going to turn into serial killers.

"Anyone who looks to shoot sideways, we tell them to rack off and they are not going to do it here."

Mr Davis believed the amnesty on unlicensed guns needed to happen more regularly to ensure more people came forward to register their weapons.

"There should be a permanent amnesty so that people can get their guns registered without concern.

"Very few guns owned by licensees get stolen. Those that turn rogue who are licensed are extremely minor, maybe one a year in Australia.

"It just doesn't happen."

He's wrong about very few guns being stolen. It's become reasonably common, partly due to the firearms registry being accessed by criminals. He's correct about law-abiding firearms owners though. It's very uncommon for them to use their firearms for no good.

Poll:

Is there any reason why there should be 26,2611 registered firearms on the Sunshine Coast?

Absolutely not. It’s not the wild west. 12%

I’m not sure - it doesn’t make me feel real safe. 38%

Who cares! It’s a free world. 37%

Big deal. I’ve got six of them! 10%

LICENCE AND WEAPON COUNT BY DISTRICT:

SUNSHINE COAST: 7560 licences, 26,261 weapons

GOLD COAST: 7995 licences, 38,307 weapons

DARLING DOWNS: 17,484 licences. 69,528 weapons

NORTH BRISBANE: 10323 licences, 70,743 weapons

WIDE BAY BURNET: 14,986 licences, 65,592 weapons

MAROOCHYDORE: 1083 licences, 3832 weapons

NAMBOUR: 986 licences, 3689 weapons

CALOUNDRA: 695 licences, 2184 weapons

NOOSA HEADS: 536 licences. 1652 weapons

 

[gunnerbob]

It's a start DW, a start. Do what you can to continue the trend.

 

[S&W645]

Funny that the common thread in most shootings is a mental problem and not the guns themselves but yet even in Aussieland the lawyers always try to blame the gun.

Among those supporting GCA’s stance is Sydney criminal lawyer Michelle Fernando, whose mentally ill sister fatally shot her father, Vincent, in August 2010, with a handgun stolen from a gun club where she was a probationary member.

Ms Fernando, the face of a GCA anti-gun video set to go live online today, said it was too easy for people in NSW to obtain a firearm.

 

[cluznar]

("You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing." )

A good thing? So you are supposed to simply let criminals kill you?

Australia better get some CCW permits to people so they can be safe. :dirol:

 

[BluesStringer]

Mr Davis said the American rules were "very different" to those in Australia.

"The laws are absolutely different to America, they should have more of what we've got," he said.

"You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing."

He said the laws which required gun owners to be involved in clubs like the shooting club helped keep a close eye on potential rogue elements.

"If we think someone is dodgy, we won't give them an application form (for a licence) and we will pass the information on to other clubs to be wary of them," he said.

"This is because if anything goes wrong, it comes back on us."

So is this Mr. Davis a government employee, or just another government boot-licker posing as a "pro-gunner?" Tell him for us that no one here needs his advice on what we "should" be doing in the way of gun laws, but as long as he's already broached the subject, tell him also that for the best comfort-fit, he should use only the pink fluffy handcuffs when bowing to his masters.

There are matching knee-pads available, but it sounds like he's already got callouses built up on his knees, so maybe he can save some money and skip those.

I'll guaran-damn-tee Mr. Davis that if he spread lies around the ranges and clubs of most American gun owners based only on some devoid-of-any-real-evidence "we think someone is dodgy," it would sho' 'nuff "come back on" him (or whoever the rest of the "us" is), only it would be in the form of a slander suit. Are there no equal-protection laws there that prevent unscrupulous business owners from discriminating for no real reason? Or is, "He seemed dodgy to me" reason enough to deny a government-issued (right?) license to shoot at a gun club?

I feel for ya DW98. I suggest you think about moving. It's not just the gun thing, but you are clearly living under tyranny there, no matter how "soft" it is, or what "advantages" the government proclaims to citizens relinquishing their freedom. It's a long process to immigrate. You'd have plenty of time to settle your affairs during that process, and even though Lord knows we've got problems here too, one of them is not that we are prevented by threat of imprisonment from defending ourselves when we're facing a legitimate threat to our lives and/or well-being. I know leaving home is tough, but my wife and I did it - moved from Los Angeles to a small town in Alabama 22 years ago. Like you would, we get ribbed for our accents, but otherwise, we're free and happy as pigs in mud. Getcha some freedom, man. It's here for the taking, or taking back, however one looks at it.

Blues

 

[MyFred]

("You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing." )

A good thing? So you are supposed to simply let criminals kill you?

Australia better get some CCW permits to people so they can be safe. :dirol:

People don't really need a CCW or any permit to be safe so long as they are willing to defend themselves and stand against anyone trying to take away their means of self defense.

 

[Tea Man]

You know the old saying, "Outlaw guns and outlaws will have guns."

That holds true and it's sad that we have so much crimes committed with guns but us decent folks need to protect ourselves.

 

[chilipeppernorm]

"You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing."

I was going to try for a witty or cutting remark, but the above is so profoundly ignorant and foolish I can't come up with anything. I can say, and I sincerely don't wish this individual that made the statement any harm or misfortune, that were he to lose his life to to a violent criminal act I don't believe I could produce the tiniest scrap of remorse for him. That may reflect unkindly on my character, but how does one so glibly and freely offer oneself up for slaughter? I can't fathom it.

 

[BluesStringer]

"You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing."

I was going to try for a witty or cutting remark, but the above is so profoundly ignorant and foolish I can't come up with anything. I can say, and I sincerely don't wish this individual that made the statement any harm or misfortune, that were he to lose his life to to a violent criminal act I don't believe I could produce the tiniest scrap of remorse for him. That may reflect unkindly on my character, but how does one so glibly and freely offer oneself up for slaughter? I can't fathom it.

If you look back on DW98's posting history, you will find that there's a whole country in the Southern Hemisphere that nearly unanimously volunteered to put themselves in that exact position. DW98 is one of the few from Australia speaking out against it, so I am not saying this as pertaining to him at all, but it really is amazing how propaganda and the unattainable promises of government to take over all responsibilities for citizen protection can be believed by so many that they volunteered for it. Group-think in action. While I don't think the US is really very close to that happening anytime soon, I don't count it as being out of the realm of possibility. It gets closer with each SAFE Act, CT bans and full-on registration schemes, new court rulings, CA, NJ, MD and on and on and on with next to no real push-back from the citizens being tyrannized. DW98 shows us his past and present, but our future if we're not very careful.

Blues

 

[DW98]

Are there no equal-protection laws there that prevent unscrupulous business owners from discriminating for no real reason? Or is, "He seemed dodgy to me" reason enough to deny a government-issued (right?) license to shoot at a gun club?

It's not something I've ever looked into, to be honest. About 6 months ago, someone came into the range I was at and wanted to shoot a .22. The instructor went through how it works with him, and he started asking questions like, "What's the best gun to kill someone?", "Where would you shoot them?"...and so on. He was told to leave and got aggressive, but when they said they'd call the police he left quickly. It seems that workers, or owners at a gun club can turn someone away if they're acting suspicious. I'll check with some people and find out what the law is regarding that.

Moving is looking more and more likely. Arizona looks inviting.

I don't think leaving will be too hard, though. I'm getting fed up with the mentality of people in this country. Earlier today I brought up the quote from Davis, regarding self-defence, to someone I know. Their response was, "That makes sense. If people knew they could use a knife then they would go around stabbing people." I told them that the criminals already do that, then mentioned how I had a knife pulled on me on a bus earlier this year. All to no avail.

Every time the police Facebook pages post about a shooting, you have droves of people saying, "OMG, just like America!!! What is happening to this country?!?!"

Example from earlier,

Police continue to investigate reports of a vehicle being chased and fired upon by the occupants of another vehicle heading north on the Bruce Highway between Gladstone and Rockhampton.

Anyone would think we live in america these days... it is really sad and frustrating to see so much violence and hateful stupidity in this country in todays society

One of our vocal members for firearms rights lost his gun license due to some of his YouTube videos. One reason was because he badmouthed the firearms registry in one of his videos, who then found a reason to have his license revoked. He's quite well known in the US as well (one of his videos is in my signature). He's done some videos with the great Hickok45 as well.

Here's his latest video, which couldn't be posted on his channel from what I've heard.

He asks, "If we're so lucky, why aren't we so free?". He also said he's lucky to be able to own firearms. That's not freedom. As you said, the US has it's problems, but lack of freedom isn't one of them.

 

[DW98]

("You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing." )

A good thing? So you are supposed to simply let criminals kill you?

Australia better get some CCW permits to people so they can be safe. :dirol:

I don't consider CC or OC in the realm of possibility. At the moment I'd be happy if pepper spray was legalized.

 

[cluznar]

To each his own, but if someone broke into my home I would want more than pepper spray. However, if allowing pepper spray to be carried for defense would lead to CCW then bring on the pepper spray. It is better than nothing.

:dirol:

 

[DW98]

To each his own, but if someone broke into my home I would want more than pepper spray. However, if allowing pepper spray to be carried for defense would lead to CCW then bring on the pepper spray. It is better than nothing.

:dirol:

Me too, but since being able to carry a firearm will likely never happen in my lifetime, pepper spray would be good for some peace of mind. Doubt it will happen anytime soon, though.

 

[CharlesMorrison]

("You cannot use even a pen knife if it is for personal protection anywhere in Australia, and that is a good thing." )

A good thing? So you are supposed to simply let criminals kill you?

Australia better get some CCW permits to people so they can be safe. :dirol:

Sounds just like the "Utopia" that you are looking for cluznar!
Please! Feel free to continue your gun grabbin ways THERE!


Sent from behind Enemy Lines.

 

[CharlesMorrison]

To each his own, but if someone broke into my home I would want more than pepper spray. However, if allowing pepper spray to be carried for defense would lead to CCW then bring on the pepper spray. It is better than nothing.

:dirol:

How about your "mighty .32"? I'm sure that would be all the gun you'd ever need, right?
Seeing as you are AGAINST us here in the US of owning anything bigger than your massive .32acp handgun...
How ironic that you post about freedoms and personal carry when your own posting have been in line with bans and denying ownership of any weapon "you" deem too dangerous!
(AKA... Anything above a .32 or .380acp!)
Do me a favor and don't pretend to be upset with the gun laws in Australia, when your own history is one of gun grabbing and banning!
You are a hypocrite and a fool.


Sent from behind Enemy Lines.

 

[cluznar]

Poor Charles Morrison, you have a bad attitude. You feel I should not be allowed my opinion. I do not deny people owning what they want, I simply do not agree with all of them. I said nothing about taking the guns out of their hands, just that I did not understand all of their choices.
But back to Australia. It is hard to believe that any country is so against defending yourself that they do not even allow pepper spray. That is very sad, it says to criminals; go ahead and rob, rape, and kill, because we won't stop you.

Actually, a .32 acp would do well for home owners and CCW in Australia. It will stop a criminal, yet not be such a big caliber as to offend some people. Like the law. Having nothing at all, even a .22lr pistol would be an upgrade. Sounds like Australians are just doomed to be victims until they decide to vote in lawmakers who will allow CCW for protection. Very weird laws mate.
:dirol:

 

[BluesStringer]

I do not deny people owning what they want, I simply do not agree with all of them. I said nothing about taking the guns out of their hands, just that I did not understand all of their choices.

...Another good way to help gun control....

...As for gun bans, without a doubt assault rifles must be banned, citizens have no need for assault rifles in an educated society.

Can't have it both ways, Conrad. Admit it -- You're a gun-grabber at heart, aren't you?

Blues

 

[chilipeppernorm]

"...As for gun bans, without a doubt assault rifles must be banned, citizens have no need for assault rifles in an educated society."

Cluznar, I'm baffled by several areas of your statement. First, nobody has ever fully defined exactly what constitutes the definition of an assault rifle beyond that it is a rifle with some sort of "military" appearance. After I volunteered, the US Government trained me very well and entrusted me as a teenager to walk point with the 1st Cavalry Infantry in the jungles of Vietnam with a CAR-15 "assault" rifle to hunt Communists, so please give me a rational explanation as to why I can't be entrusted as a citizen/veteran with no criminal history in his 60's to own and use that very same weapon or variations thereof for any reason I so choose. You cannot because there is none. Secondly, if our society were "educated" in safe weapons handling, use, and storage then your version of "good gun control" would only apply to criminals or those with criminal intent, the mentally unstable or deficient, and terrorists leaving the rest of us in unfettered 2A freedom. How is this difficult?

 

[CharlesMorrison]

First, I would like to thank Blues for his post.
Second, Conrad(?), you are a gun grabber and a gun banner of the fist order.
Now, it has also been proved to those here that you are a liar.
It's "people" like you that should be "banned" from owning ANY gun, even your precious .32acp.
Like Blues posted above, "You can't have it both ways CONRAD!".


Sent from behind Enemy Lines.

 

[DW98]

Actually, a .32 acp would do well for home owners and CCW in Australia. It will stop a criminal, yet not be such a big caliber as to offend some people. Like the law. Having nothing at all, even a .22lr pistol would be an upgrade. Sounds like Australians are just doomed to be victims until they decide to vote in lawmakers who will allow CCW for protection. Very weird laws mate.
:dirol:

The issue is most people seem to be content with not having many self-defence rights, and rely on the police, who usually show up after the fact, to protect them.

Even though gun ownership is up, things seem to going backwards, at least for handgun owners. The antis have been pushing for all semi-automatic handguns for the last year. This would be at a cost of over 300 million to the public. They also want a complete ban on pretty much everything within the next 10 years, with no firearms to be stored outside of police stations. Sad thing is, they'll probably get their wish.

Snippets from an article I saw earlier.

Call for urgent firearms reform

GUN control advocates are calling for urgent firearm reform after the use of semi-automatic weapons on the streets of Launceston. Launceston has endured a spate of firearm incidents in the past month and in some cases seen semi-automatics been used to shoot up a car and allegedly commit armed robbery.

Gun Control Australia spokesman Roland Browne said the use of semi-automatic weapons on the streets was a worrying development.

"These incidents reinforce the need for reform, we need to ban semi-automatic handguns so they don't get into the hands of criminals,'' he said.

"It's about having a high level of community safety but also we need to tighten the laws up to protect our police . . . we don't want people settling their squabbles with their guns either.

"We should act now before we end up with one of these guns being used for the purpose of which it was designed - which is to kill people.''

When you have a public that buys into the ********* above, you know you're in trouble.