- Toughest firearms laws in Australia to limit the number of guns a person can own
- New laws balance public safety with the legitimate, responsible use of firearms
- $64.3 million voluntary firearm buyback compensation scheme now open
The largest overhaul of firearms laws in Western Australia’s history enters Parliament today following years of extensive consultation with licence holders, industry stakeholders and the broader public.
Law changes will enhance public safety by implementing stricter licensing and storage requirements, introducing compulsory training and health checks as well as mandatory disqualifying offences. It will also see Western Australia become the first state or territory to impose a limit on the number of firearms an individual can own.
While there have been several amendments to the Act over the years, there has been no structural reform since it was enacted back in 1973.
A $64.3 million Cook Government funded voluntary firearm buyback is now open to all individual firearms licence holders across the State, with owners eligible to receive a maximum of $1,000 dollars for their gun, dependant on type, style, calibre and initial registration date.
Firearms can be surrendered at any WA Police station. Unlicensed firearms may be surrendered via the State’s ongoing Amnesty, however, the person in possession is not eligible to receive compensation.
The buyback will remain open until Saturday, August 31 2024, or until funding is exhausted.
In addition to rewriting the State’s 50-year-old Firearms Act, the State Government has already more than doubled the penalties for anyone convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm or unlawfully discharging a firearm in public, outlawed 3D printed guns and introduced Firearm Prohibition Orders to target bikies and other organised crime figures.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“The Firearms Bill modernises Western Australia’s gun licensing regime and prioritises public safety above the privilege of owning a firearm.
“New laws will replace the current five-decades-old Act and see my Government unapologetically impose the strictest regulations of firearms anywhere in Australia.
“Farmers who use firearms to do their job, club members who use them to participate in their sport and recreational hunters who help landowners to control vermin are all accommodated for in the new legislation, but some current gun owners may struggle to prove their legitimate need for a licence when the laws change.
“All individual firearms licence holders are eligible to take part in the voluntary buyback, and I encourage them to participate before the scheme closes or the $64 million dollar fund is exhausted.”
As stated by Police Minister Paul Papalia:
“In accordance with John Howard’s National Firearms Agreement, the new laws recognise the ownership and use of firearms is a privilege, and that responsible regulation of use, storage and carriage of firearms will improve public safety.
“The new laws will help keep Western Australians safe for decades to come.
“Exhaustive consultation has gone into the construction of the new legislation, which prioritises public safety while recognising the various legitimate reasons people own and use firearms.
“I want to thank everyone who engaged and contributed to the comprehensive process which helped develop the newly created Firearms Bill.”
