Uniform national gun laws must be
maintained. |
Media Release - 20th March, 1998.
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The
Australian Democrats say moves to water down uniform national
gun laws are out of step with battling Australia, the
Australian Democrats' Attorney General and Justice
spokesperson, Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, said today.
"Everything that has been achieved since the Port
Arthur massacre will be jeopardised," Senator Stott Despoja
said.
"After all the agony in 1996 to get workable
national uniform gun laws, the Commonwealth, Territory and
State leaders must not buckle under pressure from the gun
lobby."
"The gun lobby may claim the gun laws are
unreasonable and unworkable, but these laws are strongly
supported by the majority of Australians."
"There were
calls for uniform national gun laws long before the massacre
at Port Arthur with most of the work on developing model
legislation already done before the massacre. "
"The
laws which are now in place were not some knee-jerk reaction
to Port Arthur. "
"The national uniform gun laws are a
step towards consistent and fair rules for all Australians. "
"The sticking point to achieving national uniform gun
laws in this country before Port Arthur was the inability - or
perhaps just an unwillingness - by the States and Territories
to agree to the finer details of the necessary legislation. "
"It was only the widespread public outcry which
followed the massacre at Port Arthur that helped focus the
States and Territories and allowed us to achieve the laws
which we now have in place."
"The Democrats call on the
Prime Minister to exert strong pressure to ensure that
Australia's commitment to national uniform gun laws are
maintained," said Senator Stott Despoja.
__________________________________________________ Natasha Stott
Despoja is the Australian Democrats spokesperson for Attorney
General.
Telephone: (08) 8232 7595 or 0418 812
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