Firearms Crime Statement
Statement from Shooting Industry Foundation Australia Executive Officer Rod Drew 31 August 2017
A series of events this week has thrown into the spotlight the responsibility of Australian Media to check their facts around firearms ownership and use in our nation.
As the peak body for the Firearms Industry, SIFA commissions independent research that demonstrates facts, evidence and data to inform and educate individuals and organisations.
This research says:
- There is no way to quantify the number of unregistered firearms in our country as the data simply does not exist.
- One million Australian Licensed Firearms Owners uphold obligations for safe storage and use every day.
- The relationship between theft from Australian Licensed Firearms Owners and use in criminal activity has not been established.
- Some criminals possess unregistered, prohibited, modified, loaded and unsecured firearms.
- 79% of Australians want government resources spent on targeting illegal guns and criminals rather than increased regulation of Licensed Firearms Owners.
- The National Firearms Amnesty means that any adult – family, friends, associates – of a person with an illegal firearm can relinquish it with no questions asked.
While gun crime is statistically very low in Australia, our whole community is affected when a person is injured or killed.
It is right and fair that our community demands laws that uphold standards of safety and security; our community deserves people who will stand up for what is right and fair.
SIFA calls on the Federal Government and on state based jurisdictions to name the problem and fund the solution to criminal firearms use in Australia.
Australians deserve better resourcing for enforcement services, particularly IT infrastructure and improved scanning of parcels from overseas to better target criminal activity.
