Firearms reform
110. Mr Yaz Mubarakai to the Minister for Police:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's nation—sorry.
Several members interjected.
Mr Yaz Mubarakai: Calm down and have a listen. The minister just over there, of course. I will realign my focus.
I refer to the Cook Labor government's nation-leading firearms laws.
(1) Can the minister advise the house how these reforms deliver on this government's commitment to keeping the community safe?(2) Can the minister advise the house whether he is aware of any attempts to wind back these important community safety laws?Mr Reece Whitby replied:
(1)–(2) Thank you, member. It is a great question. I appreciate the question today. It is indeed the case that the government takes its responsibility to ensure the safety of all Western Australians very seriously. It is why we have acted on knife crime. It is why we are acting against outlawed motorcycle gangs. It is why we have a record number, and growing, of police currently on the beat, with the Police Academy turning out more and more officers every month.We passed nation-leading firearms reforms in June last year, member. Parliament passed those reforms, with a new act that came into effect on 31 March. It imposes limits on the number of firearms an individual can own and introduced mandatory disqualifying offences and orders that take the guns out of the hands of serious offenders, including family and domestic violence perpetrators and members of outlawed motorcycle gangs. I think we know why that is important. Unfortunately, we have had circumstances in this state that have hit very close to home in this regard. Indeed, every major shooting in Western Australia in recent years has involved a legal, licensed firearm. That includes the devastating murder of six people shot to death on a farm near Margaret River in 2018. It was the worst mass murder in Australia since Port Arthur. It happened in Western Australia and involved licensed firearms. Of course we do not need to be reminded, because the anniversary is approaching later this week, about the appalling double murder and the tragic, tragic circumstances that happened in Floreat. Those crimes shook the state to its core, and it is why it was made very clear to this government and to the community, who were calling out for change, that our state's very old Firearms Act needed to be updated. We needed a new act, in fact. The old law was in excess of half a century old.The member asked whether I am aware of any attempts to wind back those laws. At 4:00 pm today, the Leader of the Nationals WA will move a motion to disallow the regulations that make the reforms work. Without the regulations, members, the act is inoperable. I heard the Leader of the Liberal Party interviewed on 6PR this morning. He said that he supported this legislation. He said he supported the Firearms Act. He even went on to say that, "Like everybody else, we want tighter gun control." But then when he was asked about the regulations, he said, and I quote, that this disallowance motion is actually the opposition parties, led by the Nationals, way of saying that in this political environment these regulations are not right.Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!Mr Mark Folkard interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for—it is not Burns Beach—Mindarie, thank you.Mr Reece Whitby: I would like to continue, Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The Speaker: Members!Mr Paul Papalia interjected.
The Speaker: Minister for Corrective Services!Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition, do not get into side conversations with the government when the minister is trying to respond to the question. Carry on, minister.Mr Reece Whitby: The member cannot have a bet each way. He infers he can sit on the fence and make a protest vote but still support the laws. It does not work that way. It is pretty concerning that the Leader of the Liberal Party is being so cavalier. I know he is a new member to this place but he has to understand that moving a disallowance motion is not a political stunt; it is a legal instrument at his disposal as a parliamentarian. His actions in this place actually mean something. It is not a pantomime. The Leader of the Opposition cannot say he supports a law but then not have a problem with gutting and undermining that law by disallowing the regulations that make it work.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Leader of the Opposition, cease the interjections. The minister needs to finish his response. Carry on, minister.Mr Reece Whitby: If the member has issues with or wants to provide feedback about our reforms as the Leader of the Liberal Party, put it in a grievance and write to me. The member has not even requested a briefing on the gun laws. When the Leader of the Liberal Party walks into this place later today, I hope he thinks long and hard about whether he will be true to his word and actually supports tighter gun laws. This is a matter for the Leader of the Liberal Party to stand up for his constituency, who are very aware of the gun laws and what they mean and the safety they bring to the state. It is a big test of the Leader of the Liberal Party. It is absolutely right. We look forward to him being true to his word. If he supports these laws, he will vote accordingly.
