John Cobb (Calare, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in support of the Criminal Code Amendment (Firearms Trafficking) Bill 2015. This bill amends the Criminal Code Act 1995 to provide for a mandatory minimum sentence and increased maximum penalties for the offence of trafficking firearms or firearm parts within Australia and into and out of Australia. As a legal firearm user myself, I am very supportive of cracking down on those illegal firearm users. This bill will implement the coalition's election commitment to tackle crime and introduce a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment for firearms trafficking offences. It will also double the maximum penalty for these offences from 10 years imprisonment or a fine of 2½ thousand penalty units or both to 20 years imprisonment or a fine of 5,000 penalty units or both.

The importation of illegal firearms must be dealt with in order to crack down on gun related crime. The criminal use and trafficking of guns is a deadly crime and will not be tolerated in our country. The federal government are committed to ensuring Australian communities feel safe and secure, and to do this we must take a strong approach to those involved in the illegal dealing of weapons. The coalition has already taken action on illegal firearms since coming into government. Eighty eight million dollars has been invested to introduce increased screening and examination of international mail and air and sea cargo, giving our agencies more power and better tools to ensure they pick up illicit firearms and firearm parts at the border, before they enter Australia. We introduced the National Anti-Gangs Squad to target the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs within Australia, focusing on their role in firearms trafficking. This has been a great success as, since 2013, 535 illegal firearms have been taken off our streets. Last year, the government further diminished the ability for those trafficking firearm parts into Australia to evade prosecution. No longer can criminals break down firearms and traffic the parts separately. CrimTrac is developing a National Firearms Interface to allow better sharing of information between jurisdictions. Police and firearm registration authorities will be better able to track the movement of firearms in and out of Australia.

As I stated earlier, I am a firearm user and owner, and I am one of the multitudes of people, men and women, who are some of the most law-abiding people I know. I am well acquainted with the major firearm importers and dealers, and they, firearms users, industry and we totally support every measure to crack down on those involved in illegal activity. In recent talk about these changes, not one of the people I know involved in legal firearm trade and activities spoke against the increases to the penalties—not one of them. Our aim also must be not to pass laws that make legal firearm owners illegal but to ensure that those acting illegally are dealt with, and that is what we are doing here. It is important that the interests of the legal and responsible gun community are protected. It must be recognised that the legal gun community are using firearms not only in recreational shooting but as practical tools on farms to deal with feral animals and pests. Once again, I reiterate that the laws must respect the rights of legal firearm users, who are doing the right thing. I am proud that the industry has got behind the government and will totally support what we are doing to make it much tougher and harder for people involved in illegal trafficking of firearms, both domestically and internationally.

In finishing on that, may I say that the firearm industry also are very involved in training people to deal with these issues. For all those keen people who want to be involved, including at a young age, the industry is making sure that users have an ability to recognise their responsibilities. One of the advantages that country people on farms et cetera have with firearms is that they grow up with them and they are very aware of the practical issues surrounding firearms. All my children know exactly what a rifle is. They have all used one and they are all good shots. Even a sheepdog does not get in front of you when you are carrying a rifle. They know what it does. Those of us in the country have that advantage, and that is why the industry is putting such a big effort into teaching those who are involved and want to be involved in the responsibility of being a firearms owner.

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