16/09/2020
Presidents Message
Yesterday I met with the registrar heads at Licensing and Services Division – Victoria Police. The reason for the meeting was to discuss a number of issues brought up by the Victorian shooting community.
Obviously one of the major items on the list was the COVID breach fines and apparent loss of license. We have tried to stay fairly quiet on the issue since it was brought up, till we had all the facts.
As we suspected, all breaches are a case by case basis. If a breach has occurred by a licensed firearm owner a suitability review is undertaken. Sometimes the outcome of the review will result in a suspension and show cause notice. This just means the license holder just has to submit an explanation to LRD. To date (this obviously may change) no one that has received a cancellation from their suspension.
As was put to me, once your original license check is done, you are not considered fit and proper for life, if you come under police notice, suitability reviews may need to be done.
Our only criticism here is there are cases with aggravated circumstances and/or prior history. We believe that they should be listed alongside the COVID breach on a suspension/show cause notice.
Other relevant notes from the meeting are
- The variation of handgun shoots to zero for the 2020 calendar year is sitting with the Chief Commissioner
- Cat C for clay target shooters will not have any action taken if they do not meet the minimum required shoots for the 2020 calendar year. There is going to be no official variation.
- The Ruger PC Charger 9x19mm will not be prohibited/reclassified. LRD are satisfied that it meets the requirements for both a handgun and handgun competitions. They would like to remind Victorians that altering a firearm is offense and putting a chassis on it is considered altering the firearm and will change the category of the firearm.
In the short time since you formed you have done more to help LAFOs than any other organisation. I did start SSAA (Vic) in helping members with legal issues but once l left it a fell in a heap; its not that difficult in most cases, a call to the police prosecutor and or the officer laying the charges then work through the charges, most police are prepared to back down if there is no previous record and no abuse during the original contact.
I’ve known Neil for more than 30 years and he’s always been a top operator and knows exactly who and where to approach in regards to firearm issues so having him onboard is a blessing.
Next time can you bring up the issue of suppressors? It appears Australia is one of the few places in the world where licensing authorities have seen too many spy movies and demonise these useful accessories. Time for shooting organisations to step up.
It’s one of the many things we’re working on. How it will go down, well we’re not holding our breath let’s just put it that way.
Do you think you could send a video of what a suppressor sounds like when you fire a gun or get a specially ranked police person or MP to come over to the range and see the difference themselves! And get them to update their knowledge instead of being wilfully ignorant! Give them a link to a video as a reference too I guess — “Just like in the video is just like real life when you saw it!”