My friend, an actress from LA, was in Sydney to shoot a crime show.
She told me that the show's gun handler had supplied the weapons for most blockbuster movies filmed in Australia.
I remembered that guns were not allowed in the country and asked her if the gun handler would sit and talk with me about Australia's gun laws.
He agreed.
When I met with him, he told me about a gun shop in my neighborhood!
I was so surprised because I passed the shop at least once a week but never knew it sold weapons, even with the signage outside the store that read, 'Buy Guns Here' like in the US.
I had believed the rumors I heard about firearms not being allowed in Australia.
And why wouldn't I? Gun violence in Australia is very low, and mass murder is extremely rare.
The shop's associate set me straight and told me that Aussies do have guns, just not the types that quickly kill large numbers of people.
But that wasn't always the case!
In 1996, Australia's guns laws tightened, almost overnight, when a lunatic with an AR-15 rifle with a 30-shot magazine opened fire, killing 35 people and injuring 23 in a cafe located in Port Arthur, Tasmania.
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Port Arthur's historical site includes the ruins of a large prison.
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The gunman selected the town for the attack because of its brutal history and popularity.
It was a 19th-century penal settlement, now a historical site attracting many tourists.
The death scene following the massacre was so horrific that it shocked the nation.
Everyone on the scene, including police officers and medical staff, needed counseling.
It wasn't the first mass shooting in the country - there were 13 in the decade leading up to it; however, it was the deadliest.
The newly elected Prime Minister, John Howard, who had only been in office for six weeks, was compelled to find a solution to gun violence so nothing that horrific would ever happen again.
Prime Minister Howard called a meeting with his staff just hours after the massacre to discuss gun control.
His strategy was to strike while the iron was hot and act on the issue with national support.
In Australia, the federal government can regulate the importation of firearms, but gun laws fall under the country's states and territories.
So, Howard worked with state governments and National Party members to develop a National Firearms Agreement (NFA).
The ruling lobby was the gun lobby, but they did not have the same power as America's National Rifle Association (NRA).
And although folks living in rural areas didn't want gun reform, the shockingly massive loss of life caused them to have a change of heart.
In Australia, gun ownership is a conditional privilege - not a right.
Because of this, the agreement passed quickly and was made into law just 12 days after the Port Arthur killings. That's less than two weeks!
The agreement called for an immediate ban on fully & semi-automatic rifles, military-style guns, magazines, and pump-action shotguns with some exceptions such as police or military use.
In 2002, there was a subsequent agreement on importing handguns based on caliber, barrel length, and capacity.
For private citizens, banned guns cannot be imported, owned, sold, resold, transferred, manufactured, or used anywhere in the country.
The agreement also included a national buyback program.
The country's Medicare (universal healthcare) tax increased to pay for the guns.
In conjunction with the buyback, a national firearms amnesty ran for 12 months so folks could come forth to sell their unregistered weapons without being penalized.
A second buyback was held in 2003, in which 68,727 more guns were retrieved and destroyed.
Under the new agreement, the requirements for getting a firearms license were strict.
First and foremost, applicants must prove to the Commissioner of Police that they have a "genuine reason" for buying a gun.
Self-defense and protection of property were not "genuine reasons."
- Recreational hunting/vermin control
- Vertebrate pest animal control
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| Actress & Acting Coach Gloria Garayua, at target shooting practice for her latest project. |
Shooting Clubs that sponsor recreational target shooting, practice, and competitions are a big part of the Australian culture for gun owners.
Some of the other requirements for getting a license are listed below:
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fit the criteria for being a fit and proper person.
- New license applicants must complete an accredited firearms safety training course.
- Must have a separate permit for each firearm purchased, and restricted weapons licenses require more scrutiny.
- License approvals are subject to a 28-day or more extended waiting period - just in case the potential gun owner needs to cool off.
Once approved, applicants can purchase guns from a licensed firearm dealer, who notifies the Firearms Registry.
Each gun purchased must have a separate registration certificate.
All guns, including BB guns, must be kept unloaded and locked in cabinets for safe storage.
And, gun owners must store ammo separately from firearms.
The associate at the gun store told me a story about someone on a back porch cleaning a gun - a neighbor saw him and became alarmed.
Seeing someone with un for any reason can lead to legal problems in Sydney.
Firearms must be kept out of the general public's viewing sight at all times to eliminate the possibility of theft or causing undue panic.
Failure to comply with any of the above-outlined measures or a charge for any offense, large or small, will result in license suspension - a gun owner's worse fear.
I do realize that gun violence can and does happen everywhere.
But one thing is certain, Sydney, Australia, is a safer place to live because of its strict gun laws.
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| Sydney's Central Business District |
According to FactCheck.Org, gun-related homicides and suicide rates drastically dropped in the two decades since Port Arthur.
Other analyses have reported an 80% decline in gun-related suicides.
In an article written by professors from the University of Sydney that BMJ Journals Online published, gunshot deaths declined at 3% per year before the reform and 6% after.
But, say it ain't so - there are more guns in Australia today than in 1996.
The difference is that there are fewer gun owners but more guns per owner.
Most Aussies praise Howard for creating stricter gun laws. He served four terms in the office and is Australia's second-longest-serving leader.
His lasting legacy will always be his decisive and quick action on gun control.
During an interview with the former Prime Minister to mark the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur tragedy, he said:
Stricter guns laws . . .
Weapons banned . . .
Guns locked-up for transport . . .
I am NOT in Kansas . . . I am in OZ!
The comment page is now open!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the article. It was very informative. I wonder, in the buy back, what calculations were used to figure out what price to pay. In the US the cost would be extremely prohibitive. However, even one life would be worth it...
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing article Constance! I know, I’m late to the party here, but I’m here, and I really enjoyed reading this! Thank you so much for featuring my name. I can’t wait to announce more about my show, but it is still too soon. Anyway, I really wish that the United States would get it together when it comes to gun control. How nice would it be to live in a peaceful, nonviolent nation! I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Australia, and this is definitely one of the reasons why. Another reason is that I became friends with wonderful people such as yourself!
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