Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I direct my question to the Minister for Communications, Senator Mitch Fifield, representing the Minister for Law Enforcement, Angus Taylor. On 28 February the Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, met with representatives of the Shooting Industry Foundation and NIOA, Australia's largest privately owned supplier of small arms. Both NIOA and the foundation make significant donations to political parties. Were you aware that, at this meeting, Mr Dutton discussed issues of defence and national security with a gun lobby group that does not have national security clearance? Is the purpose of this advisory council to wind back the National Agreement on Firearms?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't have any knowledge of the meetings of Minister Dutton or Minister Taylor—no more than I suspect that you, Senator Rhiannon, know of the meetings that your Greens' colleagues have in the course of any day! But I might be wrong. So I can't be of assistance to you in terms of those ministers' diaries. I think you made reference to a firearms advisory council. Can I just make clear that there are no plans to establish a new firearms advisory council or committee. The Firearms Industry Reference Group has existed since August 2015 and comprises the firearms industry and the Australian government. The government regularly consults with the relevant stakeholders across industry to hear a range of views. That is really all I can assist you with at this time.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rhiannon, a supplementary question.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Considering that the National Agreement on Firearms is recognised as a great achievement of the Howard-Fischer government, what action is the government taking to stop the weakening of this agreement, now that children in most states can fire guns and in light of the new Tasmanian government's plan to extend the limit on a gun licence from five to 10 years despite warnings from mental health authorities?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Rhiannon. The Turnbull government has no intention of changing the National Firearms Agreement, which, I think we would all agree, is one of John Howard's greatest legacies. We do have strong and effective gun laws that strike the right balance between keeping Australians safe and protecting the rights of law-abiding firearms owners.

The fact is—and I feel obliged to point this out for the sake of completeness, though not, obviously, directing this at Senator Rhiannon, but to those opposite—that those opposite have a proven track record of not being as strong on these issues as they might. For example, the Australian Labor Party have refused to support our legislation for mandatory minimum sentencing for illegal firearms trafficking.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Rhiannon, a final supplementary question.

Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the past two weeks, around the world, hundreds of thousands of people have rallied to end gun violence, and many, for the first time, have felt hope that that can be achieved. So will you invite representatives of gun control groups to participate in the government's work on firearms—or will you only work with the firearms industry, if your intention is to wind back the National Agreement on Firearms?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for Communications) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I absolutely reject the false premise upon which your question is based. I speak on behalf of all my Liberal and Nationals colleagues when I say that we are extremely proud of our track record and of our history on firearms controls, and it is, indeed, one of those areas most often cited by political opponents when they're looking for something positive to say about John Howard—so I do acknowledge that graciousness from those opposite—that this side of politics has been very strong, very fearless and very principles based when it comes to firearms control.