NO SMOKING GUN FOR MS NEVILLE
Two weeks ago the Victorian Government announced a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition “to prevent potential stockpiling” in response to an increase in firearm permit applications.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Lisa Neville, suggested that:
Law-abiding firearm owners were at risk of succumbing to ‘pressures around family violence’ (Press Conference, 31/3/2020).
The decision to ban the sale of firearms and ammunition was made “following deliberations by the National Cabinet” (Media Release, 31/3/2020).
There has been an increase in firearms permits to acquire applications and additional ammunition in recent times, increasing the risk that firearms and ammunition may not be stored safely (Media Release, 31/3/2020).
There is no evidence to suggest that legal firearm owners in Victoria have a higher propensity to commit acts of domestic violence. Ms Neville is still yet to apologise to firearm owners for insinuating that they are domestic abusers in waiting.
There appears no evidence to suggest that a ban on the sale of firearms and ammunition was discussed at National Cabinet. If Ms Neville has such evidence, she needs to produce it.
If the Minister is using the public’s faith and trust in the National Cabinet to push Labor’s own political agenda, then that is demonstrative of severe misconduct. If it was discussed at National Cabinet, the Minister ought to inform law-abiding firearm owners of the substance of the discussion, how the decision was arrived at and why it differs between states.
There is no evidence to suggest that the increase in Permits to Acquire (PTA) were not within the ordinary range for March each year, which is in the lead up to hunting seasons. The Minister must direct her department, Victoria Police, to release the raw data to substantiate her claim.
There is also no evidence to suggest that an increase in Permits to Acquire is correlated with a higher risk of unsafe storage of firearms or ammunition. The sale of firearms in Victoria is heavily regulated, with all Permits to Acquire (PTA) requiring approval from the Licencing and Regulation Division of Victoria Police.
Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur has called for the ban on sales to be reversed.
Quotes attributable to Bev McArthur MP:
“Two weeks with no apology from a senior government minister is simply not good enough for the scale of accusations alleged by Ms Neville.”
“Crises like this pandemic that require significant government action are a dream-come-true for Politburo-wannabes like Ms Neville and Mr Andrews. They think they can ban whatever they like and make outrageous claims without the hard-proof to back them up.”
“The burden is on Ms Neville to show the facts that support her reasoning to punish and infringe on the liberties of a law-abiding section of the community, not the public’s to play Sherlock Holmes and see if she’s telling the truth.”
“The Minister must first apologise to law-abiding shooters for insinuating they were domestic abusers in waiting, and then release the information surrounding the apparent discussion at National Cabinet about a firearms ban as well as the data to prove her other dubious claims.”
16 April 2020