FIREARMS PROHIBITION ORDERS

Mr SIBBONS (Mitchell) (14:50): Thank you, sir: take two. My question is to the Minister for Police. Can the minister please update the house on the success or otherwise of firearms prohibition orders and say why they are such a valuable tool in policing firearms-related crime—if, indeed, they are?

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Why they are such a valuable tool or otherwise!

An honourable member: If indeed they are.

The SPEAKER: If indeed they are! Minister for Police.

The Hon. M.F. O'BRIEN (Napier—Minister for Finance, Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (14:50): I thank the member for Mitchell for his most probing of questions. I think I'm going to have to reformat the response in light of the reconfiguration of the question. Essentially, SAPOL considers the firearms prohibition orders to be a valuable tool in dealing with serious and organised crime, particularly that involving outlaw motorcycle gangs. I meet with the commissioner on a fortnightly basis and he has reinforced this impression upon me on numerous occasions.

The orders are a highly effective legislative tool which this government has given to the police to assist in combating crime. FPOs give the police the power to curb motorcycle gang violence and organised crime to combat firearms-related violence and serious crime, to restrict access to firearms and also to combat the illegal firearms trade.

Individuals who are served with these orders are on notice that their person, premises or vehicles can be searched by police for firearms, mechanisms, fittings or ammunition. They are also required to surrender any firearms or related items as well as having their licence disqualified. In essence, this device focuses on the individual's behaviour rather than on the firearms themselves. They are a pre-emptive and proactive legislative response rather than one which deals with the offence after the fact.

At the last count there were 113 individuals listed on the register and this number is on the rise. I have also been informed by the police commissioner that this particular device is serving to interrupt the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs and associates by disrupting their activities. Interestingly, this proposition has been introduced into the New South Wales parliament. It has been considered by COAG and is considered a model for rollout around Western Australia. My understanding is that it is currently under debate within the New South Wales parliament. It is a fine piece of legislation and one of which this state can be truly proud in terms of leading the nation in disrupting the activities particularly of outlaw motorcycle gangs.