Protect responsible firearm ownership in Tasmania - Oppose the introduction of caps on firearm ownership

The petition of the undersigned residents of Tasmania draws to the attention of the House:

An arbitrary cap of on the number of firearms an individual can possess would:

• Unfairly penalise law-abiding firearm owners who comply with strict licencing requirements;

• Fail to address criminal misuse of firearms, -involving illegally obtained firearms rather than those owned by licenced individuals;

• Unfairly impact hunters, sporting shooters and collectors, who need multiple firearms for different lawful purposes; and

• Create unnecessary administrative burdens, without delivering a meaningful improvement to public safety.

Tasmania has a tradition of safe, and responsible firearm use for legitimate purposes such as farming, pest control, hunting, sports shooting and collecting.

Existing licencing and storage requirements already provide a robust framework to ensure firearms are owned and used responsibly.

Legislative change should focus on targeting illegal firearms and increasing penalties for firearm theft/possessing stolen firearms; and on improved information sharing between law enforcement bodies to ensure licences are being issued to fit and proper individuals.

Your petitioners therefore request the House to:

1. Reject the introduction of a cap on the number of firearms an individual can legally possess; and

2. Prioritise policies that target illegal firearms and criminal activity, rather than law-abiding licenced firearm owners/users.