Greens to support Labor's firearm amendments

The Greens have officially confirmed they will support Labor’s amendment to the government’s firearms bill to include caps on how many guns a person can own.

Combined, Labor and the Greens represent 14 votes in Tasmania’s House of Assembly, meaning that four crossbench MPs will need to support the amendment for it to be successful.

Labor has indicated it would propose a cap of five firearms for recreational hunters, and ten for primary producers and sports or competitive shooters.

However, the party’s Police, Fire & Emergency Services spokeswoman, Jen Butler, said the amendment would include “a clear exemption process where a higher number of firearms can be justified”.

Tasmanian Labor Leader Josh Willie said having no caps on firearms was “a glaring omission from Premier Rockliff and the supposed Minister in charge of public safety”.

“Tasmania is ground zero for Australia’s firearm reform, and this is a powerful opportunity for our state to once again lead the nation in gun safety,” Mr Willie said.

“Instead, Premier Rockliff and the Liberals are advocating for unlimited guns in the community and the weakest laws in the country. 

“Labor does not support that, and Tasmanians don’t support that either.”

Mr Willie said caps were necessary.

“The Bill tabled is a shameful backflip from the agreement Premier Rockliff made at National Cabinet and places political interest above the safety of Tasmanians and Tasmanian police officers, as the Liberals kowtow to the gun lobby and worry about One Nation on their right flank. 

“Premier Rockliff and Police Minister Felix Ellis have ignored the advice of Tasmania’s Police Commissioner – who clearly states the need for a cap on firearms.

“We look forward to working with the Parliament to deliver practical reforms that improve community safety while respecting the legitimate needs of primary producers, sports shooters, and recreational hunters.”

As well as supporting Labor’s firearm cap amendment, the Greens will also put forward their own amendments to the bill.

“Instead of having a genuine conversation about increasing public safety in the wake of the horrific events at Bondi, the Rockliff Government has allowed their Police Minister to politicise this debate and pander to the guns lobby,” Greens Police, Fire and Emergency spokeswoman Tabatha Badger said.

“It’s shameful.”

Ms Badger said the Greens had been working across Parliament on various amendments, informed by experts from the public health and family violence sectors. 

“We’ll seek to remove provisions which grandfather changes to firearms reclassification and remove the Minister’s proposed new power – the ability to prescribe additional genuine reasons to possess a firearm.

“The Greens will put forward a number of amendments which seek to increase protection against the use of firearms as instruments of family violence and coercive control.

“Key to this is changing who can be considered a fit and proper person to hold a firearm and excluding family violence offenders for ten years after an incident.”

The Greens also confirmed its support for Labor’s firearm cap amendment.

“Reducing the number of firearms in the community reduces the threat to the community.

“We hope members of Parliament will put improving community safety front and centre during this debate, and vote with us on these amendments.”