Firearms Legislation

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (15:07): My question is the Minister for Police. Can the minister outline what changes to South Australia's firearm legislation came into effect on 1 July this year?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:07): Let me thank the honourable member for her question. I know the honourable member is passionate about community safety, generally, and I appreciate her question. I am pleased to advise the council that on Saturday 1 July the new firearms legislation and regulatory scheme came into effect, following three years of extensive consultation. The underlying principles of the act now in effect confirm that possession and use of firearms is a privilege conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety.

Improved public safety will be achieved by promoting the safe and responsible storage and transport of firearms and ammunition per new provisions in the regulations. The Firearms Act 2015 and Firearms Regulations 2017 have attempted to simplify the responsibilities of firearms owners. As such, it is imperative that every licensee or applicant makes themselves familiar with their obligations under this legislation.

South Australia Police has commenced a comprehensive education and awareness campaign targeted at firearms owners and has created an information brochure, entitled 'Firearms Changes 2017—What do I Need to Know?' The brochure, which has been sent to all firearms licence holders, clearly outlines and summarises the key provisions of the new legislation and accompanying regulatory regime. Also available on the SAPOL website are fact sheets that explain the transition from the Firearms Act 1977 to the Firearms Act 2015 and how law-abiding firearms owners can comply with the new security provisions and responsibilities and the time frames allowed for these changes to come into effect.

I would encourage any member of the firearms community to visit the SAPOL website to access this information or, alternatively, access the new act and regulations online at legislation.sa.gov.au. I firmly believe that the new act and regulations ensure a regime that does not unduly burden responsible firearms owners, but enhances community safety in a generational change to our state's firearms laws. In closing, I want to give credit to my predecessor, the member for Light, for the extensive processes he undertook—

The Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins: He doesn't give you much credit. He gives you no credit in the community.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins, please show a little bit of respect for the person on his feet. Will the honourable minister allow the Minister for Police to finish his answer.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Will you desist immediately.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Yes; chuck him out.

The PRESIDENT: There will be two of you chucked out in that case. Minister, continue.

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: Thanks, Mr President. The Hon. Mr Dawkins interjects regarding the member for Light. He is an outstanding member of parliament, a champion of the north. The Hon. Mr Dawkins might not be aware that the Hon. Mr Piccolo and I are very good friends. The Hon. Mr Dawkins said earlier today that Mr Piccolo had somehow caused us a problem. Well, the Hon. Mr Piccolo has caused a lot bigger problem for you over the years, and I suspect that may well continue for many years to come.

I was in the process of complimenting the Hon. Mr Piccolo, before the Hon. Mr Dawkins served that alley-oop up, for his extensive hard work in the process that he commenced with the Firearms Act and the repeal of the 1977 act. The second person I want to acknowledge is my colleague in this place, the Hon. Mr Brokenshire, for his feedback and advocacy.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS: That's alright. He has given the Liberal Party a few challenges over the years as well. Also, I thank the members for Stuart and Schubert for their bipartisan approach to community safety through what has been a very extensive project. Thanks go to members of the South Australian Firearms Branch, who worked with my office and that of the previous minister, the firearms community and also parliamentary counsel for the assistance they gave the government to deliver this important reform to the state's firearms legislation. I want to credit members both of the firearms community and SAPOL for their pragmatic attitude towards resolving many issues that were rather complex and detailed.

These changes have been a substantial effort to make sure that we preserve a balance in South Australia between the interests of legitimate firearms owners, who only seek to do the right thing, and community safety. That is an ongoing challenge. It is unfortunate that the Hon. Tim Fischer is no longer in the chamber. I think it's a piece of reform that, despite my substantial political differences with the Howard government, commenced at a national level with the Howard government and that deserves much credit. I think the Hon. Tim Fischer played quite a substantial leadership role in that exercise as the leader of the National Party. It was a particularly difficult issue for him in his own constituency.

I remember, as a young fellow, post the Port Arthur massacre, watching this debate quite passionately, albeit as a city slicker and not a firearms holder, and actually thinking quite a fair bit of the Hon. Mr Fischer for the leadership that he displayed in very difficult circumstances. Since that rather challenging period when it comes to firearms legislation in this country, we have had somewhat of a bipartisan approach to achieving that balance. I think that's an admirable thing and I think it was on show here. For members of the South Australian public who sometimes look for bipartisanship occurring in this place, this is a classic example of where it has worked in the interests of all concerned, both members of the firearms community and the South Australian public's safety, generally.