Katrina BRANDON and Aidan KNIGHT
TAKING up arms, the Rapid Review into Victoria’s Firearm Laws were released to the public on May 25, with many gun owners feeling relieved.
The state government will not introduce caps on the number of firearms a person can own, which was one of 16 recommendations made in a review into the state’s gun laws following the Bondi terror attack.
In March, former Police Commissioner Ken Lay conducted the review and handed down his findings to the state government.
“I am pleased to present my Final Report on the Rapid Review of Victoria’s firearms laws,” Mr Lay wrote.
“The 1996 Port Arthur massacre fundamentally changed how Australians understood the risks firearms pose to the community … (reaching) a clear and enduring conclusion: effective firearms regulation is foundational to community safety.
“(The reforms) reshaped what Australians now expect of their governments; that public safety will be prioritised, risks confronted early, and difficult decisions taken in the interests of the whole community.”
He also said that, in the review, he drew on input from thousands of Victorians, including victims, advocates, hunters, and community members, through public surveys, written submissions, and targeted engagement.
“This Review seeks to reflect those differing views with respect and rigour,” he wrote.
“The recommendations are intended to support Victoria’s commitment to the National Firearms Agreement and to contribute to the ongoing harmonisation of firearms laws across Australia.”
Groups such as the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) and the Traralgon Pistol Club have shared their relief on the decision.
“The Traralgon Pistol Club supports the Victorian government’s decision not to impose a cap on the number of firearms owned by licensed sporting shooters,” a Traralgon Pistol Club spokesperson told the Gippsland Farmer.
“The proposed cap caused significant angst among the broader sporting shooting community, with many concerned that legitimate target shooters were being unfairly targeted despite already operating under strict licensing, storage, and compliance requirements. There was considerable relief once the government confirmed the proposal would not proceed.
“Many competitive shooters require multiple firearms to participate in different disciplines and competitions, and an arbitrary cap would have unfairly impacted law-abiding participants without addressing illegal firearm use by criminals.
“We believe the government has taken a sensible and balanced approach by recognising the difference between licensed sporting shooters and criminal firearm activity, while continuing to support strong public safety measures.”
VFF acting president Peter Star also welcomed the decision, stating it recognises the realities of farming and the legitimate role firearms play in agricultural businesses across Victoria.
“We advocated strongly to ensure farmers were heard, and it is pleasing to see the government acknowledge concerns that a firearm cap could have created unintended consequences for agriculture.”
Taking measures to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, Mr Star said that they fully support the decision, while not burdening farmers and legitimate users, and keeping them in the conversation.
State Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, has also supported the government’s decision to reject proposed firearm ownership caps.
The review received more than 500 submissions.
Reforms spark ongoing debate
Mr Bull said the outcome demonstrated community consultation could make a difference.
“In that forum, it was made clear that gun caps were not something that was palatable or workable,” he said.
“Some sporting shooters require up to eight firearms to compete in a single discipline, while those involved in vermin control need access to a range of calibre-specific firearms to do their jobs effectively. Having the choice of the right firearm for the task supports better safety outcomes.
“It was also highlighted that firearm limits could unintentionally restrict opportunities for young people involved in shooting sports.
“Because firearms used by those under 18 must be registered under a parent’s licence, proposed caps could have forced families to choose between supporting a child’s participation in organised shooting sports or retaining firearms required for farming, recreation or preserving family heirlooms.”
Mr Bull said reducing the number of legally-owned firearms would not stop criminals obtaining illegal weapons, nor would it have prevented tragedies such as the Bondi attack.
Those concerns were echoed in Morwell last month, where a packed firearms forum at the Morwell RSL heard that dropping caps was only one part of the picture. Hosted by Member for Morwell Martin Cameron, the forum brought to the Latrobe Valley Senator Bridget McKenzie, famous for her commitment to funding shooting clubs and ranges during the 2019/20 ‘sports rorts’ controversy. Victorian Nationals leader Danny O’Brien, Eastern Victoria MP Melina Bath also spoke, alongside Field & Game conservationist Gary “Pud” Howard OAM, to face a room mostly made up of sports shooters, as well as farmers and pest management firearm users from across Gippsland.
Senator McKenzie warned that, despite some premiers distancing themselves from a national firearms buyback, federal officials had confirmed to her in Senate estimates that negotiations over a national scheme were continuing, encouraging all in attendance to sign the Nationals petition to prevent such a scheme from coming to fruition. She told the audience she was “not afraid to invest in gun clubs”, describing them as the “front face” of shooting culture and arguing that well-resourced clubs are critical for safety, training and bringing young people into regulated sporting environments.
Mr O’Brien didn’t want shooters to lose hope, reassuring them that, “The fact that the government rejected the recommendation to put caps on the number of guns is a good outcome. Capping the number of guns does not solve the problem. All it does is punish you guys, punish the law-abiding firearms owners”.
“But we have the Premier who’s made that decision for now, how long she might last, respectfully, and we have another 15 recommendations from the Ken Lay review that has been accepted. We need to see the detail of that, and make sure that what is what comes through in that legislation in Victorian parliament does not penalise you guys unfairly for something that you haven’t done”.
Gippsland Farmer had the opportunity to interview Victorian Agriculture Minister, Michaela Settle for Labour’s perspective.
“Certainly, the government’s position is that we really want to get guns out of the hands of people that are using them illegally”, she said.
“Obviously, there is a lot of legitimate use for firearms, and as I’ve said, I’m a farm girl myself, and I understand the use of guns on farms.”
“We’re tackling it where the problem is, which is people that shouldn’t have those guns in their hands, and I know that the VFF welcome that there won’t be caps, and that’s for the legitimate use of firearms,” concluded the Minister.
The state government said the changes are intended to strengthen community safety while maintaining access for legitimate firearm users, including farmers, hunters and sporting shooters. The government has argued the reforms strike a balance between preserving lawful firearm ownership and reducing the risk of firearms falling into the wrong hands. As the next stage of the reforms is developed, both government and firearm user groups appear to agree on one point: community safety remains the priority. The challenge will be determining how best to achieve that outcome while recognising the legitimate role firearms play in farming, pest control, sport and recreation across regional Victoria.
