Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. This morning it is reported that the member for Parkes has backed calls for the importation of the Adler shotgun, saying:

I'm hoping we can still get this through because I know of one gun dealer who has hundreds on order waiting for this decision.

Prime Minister, if the ban is set in stone, as the Prime Minister said yesterday, why are so many members of his government preparing for the weapon to enter Australia?

Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—

Mr Pyne interjecting—

Mr Champion interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Leader of the House will cease interjecting. The member for Wakefield will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister has the call.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. The honourable member should recognise, and I am sure she does, that there are legitimate views about the way in which different weapons should be classified. And to try to demonise Australian gun owners and shooters because they have a particular view about the appropriate classification of a firearm is outrageous. It is the contempt that people in the Labor Party have for people in regional and rural Australia who need guns in order to sustain their livelihoods in terms of exterminating feral pests on their own properties and in terms of recreation.

We have a very good balance in Australia. We have a very well-regulated firearms sector. It is very well regulated. It was set in place by John Howard and Tim Fischer. It is one of the great prides of the coalition. What we are doing here is ensuring that the state and territory police ministers have the opportunity to consider and reclassify lever action shotguns. There is a difference of opinion in the community about the appropriate classification, but can I say, Mr Speaker, I am not aware of anybody that wants to leave the classification as it is. Every argument I have seen involves strengthening the classification, and the debate is as to how far it should go. That is a legitimate point of view on which there are differences of opinion.

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton is now warned!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But what there should be no difference of opinion on is whether we want to stamp out illegal firearms. That is the real issue. I do not want to cause grief to the families of victims, but, Mr Speaker, if you go through the victims of terrorism in our country, you will find the consistent thread of illegal firearms. That is what is putting our people at risk. We are determined to stop their importation, we are standing up for the safety of Australians and we are demanding that we impose mandatory minimum sentences. For Labor to say they have an in-principle objection is demonstrated to be absurd. Only a few years ago in government, Labor advocated and legislated mandatory minimum sentences for people smuggling. Why? Because they thought it was a horrendous crime that needed to be stamped out and there needed to be a strong measure of deterrence. Gun smuggling is a similarly horrendous crime. We ask Labor to join us in stamping it out.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Revenue and Financial Services.

Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Minister for Revenue and Financial Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, during the Prime Minister's speech, the member for Greenway made a very unparliamentary remark and referred to shooting people, and I ask her to withdraw.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am going to treat this in exactly the same consistent manner I have on every occasion. It was very loud. I did not hear anything. I need to ask the member for Greenway to come to the dispatch box and ask her whether she made an unparliamentary remark.

Michelle Rowland (Greenway, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did not, Mr Speaker.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Greenway will resume her seat.