Firearms—Owner health checks
127. Hon Dr Steve Thomas to the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the government's opaque firearms laws and to the minister's answers to my questions without notice 65 and 97 asked this week.
(1) In what precise form will the outcome of a health assessment by a general practitioner be transmitted to the Western Australia Police Force? (2) Has WAPOL or the government deployed a standard template GP response and, if so, will the minister please table such?(3) Will the GP be required to simply support or oppose the granting of a firearms licence—that is, say yes or no—without providing any reasons to WAPOL?(4) What exact guidance did the government provide to the medical profession to help GPs determine whether their recommendations should be yes or no?(5) What criteria will GPs use to determine whether they will recommend supporting or opposing the granting of a firearms licence?Hon Matthew Swinbourn replied:
I thank the member for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me by the Minister for Police.
(1) Upon completion of the Western Australian firearm authority health assessment, the health practitioner submits the outcome only by accessing the WA Police Force firearms online health assessment website.(2) See the attached tabled paper 1.(3) Health practitioners provide advice to the Western Australia Police Force on part C of the tabled paper, indicating one of the following options:a) Meets the relevant firearm authority health standard without conditionsb) Meets the relevant firearm authority health standard with conditions ……c) Does not meet the relevant firearm authority health standard(4) Guidance notes for health practitioners on the firearm authority health assessment have been published on the Western Australian Government website and is attached as tabled paper 2.(5) They are the physical and mental attributes required in using a firearm as per parts A and B of the health assessment and the guidance notes.