Released 25/07/2017
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman has today announced that the ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to restrict access to lever action shotguns after key legislation was passed by the Legislative Assembly today.
The importation of lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity greater than five rounds was temporarily prohibited by the Australian Government in 2015.
This was in response to the imminent arrival in Australia of a significant number of lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of seven rounds, in particular the Adler A110.
“The concern of law enforcement agencies is that the Adler A110 has a significant rate of fire combined with a magazine capacity that is bigger than the majority of lever action shotguns currently available in Australia,” Minister Gentleman said.
“While lever-action shotguns are not new technology, Commonwealth, State and Territory law enforcement agencies recognise the need to take this action."
“As technology evolves, lever action shotguns of any brand will become more sophisticated and potentially more dangerous when in the wrong hands."
“It is important that our legislation keeps pace with innovation to adequately regulate firearms.”
The Firearms Amendment Bill 2017 amends existing legislation to re-categorise lever action shotguns from Category A, for those with a magazine capacity of:
- up to five rounds to Category B; and
- more than five rounds to Category D.
“Category B licences are restricted to farmers and people with a specific need for using the firearm, such as recreational hunters or pest controllers,” Minister Gentleman said.
“Pump action shotguns and self-loading shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than five rounds are already Category D firearms."
“The Category D classification for lever action shotguns with a magazine capacity of greater than five rounds will bring them more in line with the restrictions on magazine capacities already in place.”
“Category D firearms are subject to the highest level of control and only accessible to professional shooters and primary producers who can establish that they have a genuine need that cannot be met by another firearm,” Minister Gentleman concluded.
The ACT Government consulted with the Firearms Consultative Committee and ACT Policing about the changes which was agreed to by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in December last year.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Media Releases