In a fresh Christmas blow for West Australian Shooters and under guise of legislation to tackle ‘gun crime’ the McGowan government is making an unprecedented move in Australian Firearms legislation to ban the reloading of ammunition.
Furthermore the legislation is set to introduce a special repairer’s license, making it impossible for the average shooter to legally repair even minor issues on their own firearms. It is also going to make the possession of various spare parts illegal without a special permission from the police commissioner, such as a spare bolt or trigger mechanism. It is clear that this legislation is the most draconian ever proposed in this country and seems more motivated by a general hatred of the community and a desire to seek vengeance over complaints raised by shooters against the McGowan governments shutdown of the industry over COVID than any legitimate rationale.
Under Section 23AG of the legislation, it will be an offence to have any
“(b) any type of digital or electronic reproduction of a technical drawing of the design of a firearm, major firearm part, prohibited firearm accessory or ammunition;
(c) a plan, drawing, instruction, template or computer program, in digital or electronic form, for the manufacture or repair of a firearm, major firearm part, prohibited firearm accessory or ammunition;
(d) a hard copy of a digital or electronic thing referred to in paragraph (b) or (c).”
The only people who can be licensed for possession of any ‘Firearms Technology’ are Repairers or Manufacturers, meaning that to even browse the wikipedia entry on any cartridge that shows its critical dimensions you will require a Manufacturers or Repairers license.
This image of a .303 catridge’s dimensions will be illegal for anyone in WA to possess.
Whilst some shooters seem to be in denial about this it is clearly stated in the government’s media release.
“New provisions are also being made to target those involved in the backyard manufacture of traditional firearms, major firearms parts or ammunition.” You can also take a read of the bill here.
The legislation is a virtue signalling abomination with the typical useless elements of making something already illegal, doubly illegal. “The proposed amendments will also make it illegal to manufacture plastic 3D firearms, with anyone caught facing a maximum 14 years in jail” Ignoring the fact that manufacturing a firearm of any type without the correct license is already a serious criminal offence.
And this is leaving aside the morally dubious but now growingly typical use of firearms legislation as a proxy tool via FPO’s to harass anyone unwanted by police out of the State. The FPO’s allow the ongoing search, surveillance and general hassle factor on any individual to be raised to intolerable levels with the clear purpose of driving them out of the region. All without any meaningful judicial oversight it is clearly forms an extra judicial punishment more so than focusing on any real public safety goals.
But Mark McGowan passing totalitarian legislation that wouldn’t look out of place in Communist China is something we are rapidly growing to expect.
Leave a Reply