NSW Nationals 'Steve' Gulaptis MP places his ignorance on display once again

Theft represents one of most likely sources of firearms for the illicit market according to the Australian Institute of Criminality.

The AIC Monitoring Report 16 went on to observe that:

·     *   In 2008-09 of the total firearms reported as stolen, 89 per cent followed from an unlawful entry into a building or vehicle and, private residential premises comprised 77 per cent of all firearm theft locations.

·     *    A total of 77 per cent were taken from registered owners. In almost 18 per cent of incidents where private residential or business premises were broken into, the theft was aided by the premises being unsecured at the time of the burglary.

·     *    Ammunition was stolen with firearms in 27 per cent of reported incidents of firearm theft in 2008-09.

·     *    In the same financial year, 22 per cent of affected firearms owners were found in breach of firearms law by police. A large number had failed to secure their firearm/s.

In other words criminals are likely to obtain their guns and/or ammunition from ordinary citizens who have inadequately or carelessly stored these items or failed to secure the premises.

On 30 May 2012 the Daily Liberal reported that; Thieves gained entry to a property on Pilliga Road, Kenebri between 8.30am and 5pm Tuesday, making off with eight pistols, eight rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

Clearly measures which might limit the amount of ammunition sold and track the lawful movement of such ammunition are in order.

Before the NSW Legislative Assembly on 29 May 2012 was a bill (apparently reflecting a request by the Police Commissioner) which seeks to:

(a) to prevent the sale of ammunition by a licensed firearms dealer to a shooter unless the purchaser is the registered owner of, or has a permit to acquire, a firearm that takes the ammunition (in addition to the existing requirement that the purchaser must hold a licence or permit for a firearm that takes the ammunition),
(b) to require licensed firearms dealers to keep records of purchases and sales of ammunition.

Yet the historically, civilly and politically ignorant NSW Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, rose to his feet and said this:

I have to say from the outset that this bill is fundamentally flawed. It is flawed because it targets the wrong people. This bill makes it tough on law-abiding registered gun owners instead of criminals. Once this bill is passed the law-abiding public will have to deal with the additional costs and red tape associated with owning a firearm. Farmers, sporting shooters and gun shop owners are the ones that will carry the cost, and for the criminals it is business as usual.

UPDATE: An investigation into Sydney gun crime has revealed a near 20% jump in the number of firearms stolen from legitimate owners. [7 News 8 May 2012]