Without any fanfare or publicity the NT Government recently published the below announcement in the Government 6th of November edition of the Government Gazette.
This has effectively banned all ‘linear repeating firearms with assisted ejection’, you may be wondering what the hell that actually is. Well to our simple minds this seems to be attempting to capture lever-release firearms. More particularly it seems fueled by the recent introduction of the toggle-release Savage A22R and the variant’s which this legislation now effectively bans.
This has been achieved through the use of Section 8 of the NT Firearms Act 1997 which grants the Chief Commissioner a reclassification power.
Not even the full-time Commissioner has made this classification, it was the previously Acting Commissioner.
The usual questions arise here: How is this considered a Category D firearm? What ballistic testing was done (if any)? Why was there no consultation and if there actually was, who was consulted? Our organisation wasn’t consulted, dealers we spoke with have been unaware and other organizations in the sector have also been caught by surprise.
This example again reiterates the fact that firearm categorisation is purely a path to disarmament by scope creep. By having categories of firearms that are virtually impossible to obtain to the average gun owner and having unelected Police and firearm registry staff issue unchallengeable and unaccountable edicts on certain firearms, it allows them to ban firearms via recategorisation with no avenue for scrutiny and appeal.
Police have already sent out surrender notices to affected owners, with no leading offer of compensation instead with owners being demanded to surrender firearms to dealers and sell them. An action that will flood the market for rifles that NIOA is already offering a manufacturer’s rebate on – no doubt setting owners up to lose a significant portion of their investment.
Chief Commissioner reclassification powers at the state level are being routinely abused to achieve this outcome. We have seen it time and again, including the recent examples of the Verney Carron Speedline in NT, the Saiga 12 in Vic, to name just a few. The abuses are becoming especially forthright in the NT where these laws are now being used to effectively re-write the laws passed by parliament in vast swathes, with these powers having also been used for the bulk recategorisation of lever action shotguns.
Whether other states follow suit remains to be seen but would be unsurprising if they did.It is strongly recommended that you contact NT Police Minister and let them know your thoughts on the matter by sending an email to this address, minister.manison@nt.gov.au .
If you are looking for some inspiration you can see the letter we sent to the NT Police Minister below.
This is so wrong. You ARE ONLY affecting law abiding firearm owners. NO ONE ELSE. PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR AGENDA IN DOING THIS.
John Sadly all they will say is “in the name of public safety” despite that being a lie of gargantuan proportions. This will not change until we start treating them as the treasonous and traitorous snakes that they are. They are no better than Stalin, Lenin, Pol Pot, Hitler or any of the other dictators throughout history
you already know the agenda….. dont be naive
i think emails are a waste of time… a show of peaceful force is in order…. for example gun owners mass at parliament with firearms unloaded and secured
but it seems most firearm owners are too pussy… until its their single shot bolt actions in the crusher… but then its too bloody late.
I was under the impression the Australian Constitution stated there must be a clear disconnect between Law makers and law enforcement. Police being able to do this is so wrong. Welcome to the Police State.
We need all our firearms associations country wide to pool resources and challenge them in court where if we win we’ll have a precedent for other states, otherwise they’ll chip away in state by state actions against us
Plz don’t let em get away with this I’ve emailed n call and I live in QLD. Yet police want more guns n powers. While stripping Australians n treating us like an enemy. We the Australian people… have a f@#$N go n grow so balls n say no. Don’t hand em back. Everyone. Say no. No more… come and take it..
Hand in nothing. Let em come door to door. Maybe it is time to say no. Firearms are a right of a free nation. Time we made it so again. They treat us like the enemy and it’s time we do the same then. Or our sons will blame us like I blame the men who where there in 96 and allowed it to happen. Fight or stay a victim.
@ Shooter trev. Wayne Pickering and jai,
I agree completely.
Australians are being treated like an enemy population by our own police and government.