Compromising On Gun Control. The Cake Story.

Why We Won't Compromise - The Cake Story

Maybe I'm the last one to know this story. My shooting buddy, Dan, couldn't believe I had never seen it. But, it's the perfect explanation to use when someone asks "Why won't you gun people at least compromise a little?"

When we originally posted this article, I said I didn’t know who had written it. Now I do. Credit goes to the Law Dog Files.  My apology to The Law Dog Files for not knowing, and my thanks for their contribution. You can see more at The Law Dog Files.

The Cake
Let's say I have this cake. It is a very nice cake, with "GUN RIGHTS" written across the top in lovely floral icing. I received it from the 2nd amendment.

Along you come and say, "Give me that cake."

I say, "No, it's my cake."

You say, "Let's compromise. Give me half." I respond by asking what I get out of this compromise, and you reply that I get to keep half of my cake.

Okay, we compromise. Let us call this compromise The National Firearms Act of 1934.

There I am with my half of the cake, and you walk back up and say, "Give me that cake."

I say, "No, it's my cake."

You say, "Let's compromise." What do I get out of this compromise? Why, I get to keep half of what's left of the cake I already own?

So, we have your compromise -- let us call this one the Gun Control Act of 1968 -- and I'm left holding what is now just a quarter of my cake.

And I'm sitting in the corner with my quarter piece of cake, and here you come again. You want my cake. Again.

You say, "Let's compromise once more." What do I get out of this compromise? I get to keep one-eighth of what's left of the cake I already own?

So, we have your compromise -- let us call this one the Machine gun ban of 1986 -- and I'm left holding what is now just an eighth of my cake.

I sit back in the corner with just my eighth of cake that I once owned outright and completely, I glance up and here you come once more.

You say nothing and just grab my cake; This time you take several bites -- we'll call this compromise the Clinton Executive Orders -- and I'm left with about a tenth of what has always been MY CAKE and you've got nine-tenths of it.

Then we compromised with the Lautenberg Act (nibble, nibble), the HUD/Smith and Wesson agreement (nibble, nibble), the Brady Law (NOM NOM NOM), the School Safety and Law Enforcement Improvement Act (sweet tap-dancing Freyja, my finger!)

I'm left holding crumbs of what was once a large and satisfying cake, and you're standing there with most of MY CAKE, making anime eyes and whining about being "reasonable", and wondering "why we won't compromise". ~ Tom

Tom Gresham
Author, outdoorsman, gun rights activist, and firearms enthusiast for more than five decades, Tom Gresham hosts Tom Gresham's Gun Talk, the first nationally-syndicated radio show about guns and the shooting sports, and is also the producer and co-host of the Guns & Gear, GunVenture and First Person Defender television series.

https://nationalshooting.org.au/blog/f/no-compromise-the-pro-gun-article-that-takes-the-cake

https://thelawdogfiles.blogspot.com/?m=1

Gun Control: Victorian Police recommendations: the real story

DC Shane Patton

Combined Firearms Council of Victoria

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7730265633900072971#editor/target=post;postID=6323964102884171388

A good regulator:

consults;

is open and transparent; and

tests its proposals with key stakeholders before submitting them to government.

Then there’s Victoria Police ….

As many of you know, we started 2017 chasing ‘recommendations’ Victoria Police made to the state government to change YOUR laws, but refused to consult on.

First there’s the bad news: we lost the case.  However the good news is that we found out what those recommendations were through other means.

Not only that, but the evidence submitted by Victoria Police confirmed the accuracy of the information we received, and revealed how much lobbying a member of VicPol’s Executive Branch did behind the scenes.

A bit of background …

In March 2016, Victoria Police told the Herald Sun that they had made ‘recommendations’ to the government on “firearm law reform”. This followed around a dozen articles in the Herald Sun over the preceding months where Victoria Police expressed concerns about firearm thefts, coinciding with the 20thanniversary of the Port Arthur shootings.

In February this year, the CFCV put in a FOI request to find out what those recommendations were.

Our FOI application was rejected on the basis that the recommendations were “Cabinet in Confidence” and also that they were “working documents”, which are two exemptions which are available under FOI laws.

The problem we had with this was that these protections are normally available to government departments rather than agencies like the Victoria Police, whose job is to enforce the law, not make it.

Our VCAT action

In May, we hired a lawyer – Avi Furstenberg from Furstenberg Law –  and a barrister – Robert Cameron – to fight the decision in VCAT (and for their help and patience, we’re truly grateful. They did a great job).

To help fund the case, hundreds of shooters chipped in to raise what we needed to run the case – and we’re also sincerely grateful for their (and your) support.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve had a Directions Hearing, a Compulsory Conference and an “admin mention” and finally on November 13th, the hearing.

The decision was ‘reserved’ which meant that we received it by email around the middle of last week.

We lost the case because VCAT agreed that Victoria Police should be able to enjoy the protection of Cabinet (which we still have a problem with, but it is the way the law is).

What we found out from the case

We learnt a number of things from the evidence VicPol provided, including the events which led to how the recommendations came about.  They are:

1.  That it was Deputy Commissioner, Shane Patton, who liaised with the Police Minister’s office.  Specifically, Victoria Police’s statement advises that:“In around February 2016, Crime Command, Victoria Police instituted a legislative reform proposal around firearms legislation. The proposal was of utmost importance to Crime Command and was targeted at decreasing firearms related offending in Victoria.”  

It also stated: “In late May 2016, it became clear that both Crime Command and Deputy Commissioner Patton (the accountable Executive Command member) wanted to ensure that the importance of this proposal for various legislative changes in relation to firearms was fully understood at Ministerial level” and that “DC Patton wanted to brief the Minister directly with concrete proposals for reform due to the significance of the proposals.”.

At the time this started, the Police Minister was Robyn Scott.  Lisa Neville took over the portfolio in May, which is when Patton decided to start briefing the (new) minister directly.

2. That the Department of Justice and Regulation (DOJR) was involved in discussions about the proposals and organising for the matter to go to Cabinet. DOJR hosts the Firearms Consultative Committee (FCC) but once again, decided to keep it in the dark.

DOJR has done this before: several years ago it developed new regulations hiking firearm dealer fees up by up to 600% which would have driven several of them out of business.

While we were able to beat that, it is clear DOJR, like Victoria Police, has a problem in being a good regulator;

3. That the recent Firearm Amendment Bill, which proposed the introduction of Firearm Prohibition Orders and other things such as changing what constitutes trafficking of firearms came from the recommendations; and

4.  That the recommendations went to Cabinet.  Twice.

The first time is to secure the government’s approval of the concept – called “Approval in Principle” – while the second is where Cabinet gets to see the detail of what eventually goes to parliament – that stage is called “Bill at Cabinet”.

We know from VicPol’s statement that the recommendations were sent after the AIP date had communicated to VicPol by the Department.  It means the recommendations were sent after Deputy Commissioner Patton had secured the Minister’s agreement to take the matter to Cabinet. That’s why VCAT ruled in their favour.

.. but we know what the recommendations are

You would think that because we lost the case, that we don’t know what the recommendations are.

Wrong.   Shortly after filing our matter in VCAT (in May) we were contacted by a source who was encouraged by the action we had instituted, who then sent us a detailed email outlining the recommendations – and what the government did with them. (Thank you source, you know who you are …).

Several months later, Victoria Police’s statement provided evidence which corroborated the information we had earlier received (in particular, it verified the origin of the Firearms Amendment Bill, the involvement of Cabinet and the timing of when these events happened).  Our crystal ball proved to be right.

So, in the absence of information to the contrary, it’s pretty clear the information we received is correct.  VicPol, DOJR and Labor are all welcome to refute this, but it would be up to them to prove us wrong.

The recommendations

The recommendations are listed below.  They were agreed by Cabinet, which decided to defer them until after the 2018 Victorian State Election, “so as not to alienate shooters”.

The recommendations are to:

Disarm most cash-in-transit security guards – Cabinet has agreed to remove firearms from plain clothed security guards carrying cash and other valuables, who make up 80-90 percent of the cash-in transit industry. This will threaten the safety of those guards, and the viability of the businesses who supply the equipment they use.  (If relevant industry bodies want to stop this from happening, then they need to get political.  They can email us at admin@firearmscouncil.org.au to find out how);

Greater search and seizure powers – (in addition to the Firearm Prohibition Orders which we already know about), these powers will extend to allowing police to check your firearm storage at any time of day or night, without any warning or a warrant;

The right to reclassify any firearm – Cabinet agreed with police that they – not parliament – should be able to reclassify any firearm, for any reason, and without the right of appeal.

The abolition of the Firearms Appeal Committee – this will remove the ability of shooters to appeal decisions made by Victoria Police (for example, something relating to licence applications) to the Firearms Appeals Committee. This means shooters will need to take the more expensive option of hiring lawyers to take their matters to VCAT or court; and

Increased penalties for firearm offences and changing what constitutes trafficking firearms. The issue of what constitutes trafficking has already appeared in the Firearms Amendment Bill (currently before parliament), but not the ‘increased penalties’.  Cabinet agreed to increase the penalties for minor transgressions of the law, such as leaving a couple of 22s rolling around the floor of the ute.

If Victoria Police or government wish to correct the record, then they are free to do so by producing the source documents we were pursuing, however the information we have been given accords with the evidence given by Victoria Police.

In the absence of this, we are entitled to take these as matters of Labor policy.

Hopefully exposing these particular recommendations will make them go away for now – but more needs to be done to make sure the regulator doesn’t try something like this again (it’s happened before, so is likely to happen again).

At the end of the day we do not have a problem with laws which legitimately target criminals.  However we have to take action where there are deliberate efforts to bypass our community on laws which directly affect it. It’s as much about “good regulatory practice” (eg being open, transparent and consultative …) than anything else.

If Victoria Police can’t or won’t behave like a good regulator, it will never be able to suggest good laws – which means the crims continue to get away.

Stay in touch

With the next state election coming up in November 2018, it’s important that shooters like yourself follow the CFCV:

on Facebook by Liking our page; or

joining our email list (on the link in the comments area with this video)

Following us means we can get pro-shooting voting advice out to you before you vote.  That way, we will be able to use the political process to stop things like this happening.

It’ll also make it easier for you to work out who to vote for when you’re standing in front of your ballot papers unsure about who the candidates are or what they stand for!  We’ll go through the parties and candidates who will be contesting the election, what their policies are, and where their preferences will go.

Thoughts For The Week By Ron Owen of Owen Guns Australia.

Thoughts For The Week.

Well two weeks ago One Nation released its (long awaited) new firearm policy.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/steve-dickson-mp/one-nation-policy-announcment-firearms-policy/1278172208915605

The upside is that it advocates the end of the Permit To Acquire System. This is the most abhorrent imposition on Australian law abiding firearm owners, as it impacts on every transaction of their very personal property, their firearms. Just on that principle alone, it places them above Labour Party, Liberal Party and the Greens. However, One Nation nervous and over concerned about the mainstream media, not learned at all by the world wide distrust of mainstream media, is still trying to edge its bets to both sides.

Why, they would want to placate the Anti-Gun Coalition that could have its Annual General in a telephone box, is only understood if one appreciates that one of those in the telephone box is funded by George Sorus, who heavily invests in Australia’s media, and donates money to save the ABC.

The One Nation policy leaves three main areas of oppressive legislation which have not been addressed.

1. No Right of Self Defence.

2. No Semi Auto’s, No Pump Action shotguns, they will still generally support the hated NFA.

3. And still the Police Registration of all your Long arms. Even though without the Permit to Acquire, transactions of property will flow much more smoothly, all the register reporting to the Police will still be required.

Verbally, One Nations representatives accept that the Registration system is useless, they agree it solves no crimes and saves no lives and even though after spending 2 billion dollars Canada and New Zealand scrapped it completely.

The new One Nation Policy on Firearm Ownership fails like a sinking ship in comparison to the original One Nation policy which has been on the internet since 1998.
http://www.gwb.com.au/onenation/press/guns.html from Saturday 16th May 1998,Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Firearm Policy

One Nation, the political party that has the most objections, to the United Nations greedy grasping for World domination, will not fully oppose the 23 points of the UN’s orders from its Civilian Disarmament Charter, that John Howard took on in 1996. George Sorus and Rebecca Peters will be sniggering into their Champagne glasses when they fully comprehend that oxymoron.

The only other people in the world that wish to keep the Long Arm Registration are the Criminals and the Police, who seek jobs, promotion and money as they build their Empires on wasted Tax dollars.

This huge imposition on the 2 million shooter voters in Australia has cost billions but apparently in South Australia and especially Queensland the ‘billion dollar brain’ has lost its marbles. Which means that the retrieval of information has been lost or corrupted.

The first clues became known like small cracks in the Hoover Dam wall.

A pillar of the community a Firearm instructor, a member of the pistol club had his random audit check from the local police. At great waste of taxpayers money and the Firearm instructors personal time, the Policeman came around to see his safe with his long list of firearms, he checked off all the long arms and then began making his farewells and then the firearm instructor enquired. ‘You don’t want to check my pistols’? You, have no pistols registered to your name replies the Policeman. Oh yes, I do he says, I have the last list that they sent me right here those, (12 or so) handguns have been on my list for many years.

Another customer was having his random audit, same as above the Policeman checks the firearms off on his list and then enquires as to whose were the other seven firearms that were in his safe. The customer replied that they were put on his licence when he returned from Northern Territory and transferred his licence and firearm list to Queensland. We have been hearing repeats of these stories for the last year. At the same time, the queries from Weapons licencing Staff to Owen Guns, checking on information that has already been reported to Weapons Licencing has greatly increased. It became apparent when I overheard a phone conversation, where they had queried information that we had sent to them in 2007 and I asked Wendy what had been said. She told me that, when she had suggested to the lady from Weapons Licensing that we had sent that same information to them on a Form 10 in 2007, the QPS lady had replied that all that old information was in the Archives and she could not retrieve it. Retrieve it or lost it?

Then a very good friend of mine who is a prominent member of one of the Brisbane Firearm Collectors associations told me that, When some of their members had phoned Weapons Licencing asking for their list of updated registered firearms, that they are regularly asked to send in a list of the ones they have already and that they will add their latest ones to their list and send them a copy. That is highly irregular, as when some one applies for a PTA the QPS should have all the information of what they have on the computer terminal before approving the PTA, then when the Gun Shop returns the PTA to Weapons, within 14 days that information should be added to the register and automatically it should print out a full copy and it should be sent to the firearm owner.

A few weeks ago I had a phone conversation with a State government employee who has worked in the head offices of several government departments during the last thirty years. He told me that the large government computer that all departments access, is housed under the supervision of the housing Department, this computer has lost a large slab of data information. Most of it belonging to Weapons Licencing. This is the same computer that was purchased from Canada about 8 years ago, the main basis for buying it was that the Canadian Government had been using the same technology for its Long Arm Firearm registry. Part of the sales pitch had been that Queensland could get all the up dates and would benefit from the research and development paid for by the Canadian Government. This went dreadfully wrong for the Weapons Licencing Branch as about four years ago the new elected Canadian government scrapped the Long Arm Registry, rightfully as it had cost over 2 billion dollars to compile and was only an imposition on the law abiding firearm owners. Same as here in Australia it does nothing to protect the community, in fact it prevents many people from protecting themselves and their families. So Queensland has had no up dates, no expansion, no fix ups. Not just 25 million or so for a dead in the water computer, but as you might remember back when this computer was installed we went 6 months with no Permits to Acquire, and the 6 months backlog waiting list for the issue of the Shooter licences has never recovered. This is the same computer that stuffed up the Nurses wages at the same time. Some Nurses were striking as they had not been paid for four months.

Extra evidence for this has been supplied by the inability of the Police Minister to answer questions from the opposition.

In a Question On Notice, Tony Perrett MP had asked the Minister for Police, Mark Ryan, and after several months had gone by Tony Perrett MP received an answer to this simple question.

“how many weapons licence holders there are (by category) in the Gympie Electorate,”  and in Queensland (broken down by post code)?

Astonishingly, the Minister answer was that he could not Answer.

His answer was, “that the body in charge of all our weapons licensing, the Queensland Police Service Weapons Licensing, had advised that the numbers were imprecise as multiple categories may be registered to one licence and multiple licences may be registered to one person.”

In other words they have absolutely no idea of how many weapons holders are in each region in Queensland, or how many of each type of licence, or of what the total numbers of licences are for the whole of Queensland.

So for all their money, all the hours, and money of every licensed shooters, eons, lifetimes of Police hours, for nothing.

On March the 21st Shadow Minister of Police Mr Tim Manders, said in Matters of Public Interest in Parliament,

“Today I was quite alarmed when I received a reply to a question on notice that I submitted earlier this year. I asked the Minister to advise how many weapons licence holders had their licences either cancelled or suspended for committing a crime. How may people with a weapons licence committed a crime and had their licence suspended or take away from them. The answer I received back is that it is impossible to give this information because they would have to go through every cancellation one by one. I think there are least 76 full time equivalent staff in Weapons Licencing, and by that response they are telling me that their focus is more on making it difficult for law abiding citizens to get a tool of their trade rather than those people who are breaking the law”.

Good On, Tim Manders and Tony Perrett for asking these questions, it is exposing the truth that the registry is a waste of time and money, even though up to date, they have not realised the full impact of the Police Ministers in-ability to answer the questions.

The real impact is if they do know how many have a licence, they do not know all of those who have a licence, (even if they know that some of them have a licence).

If they do not know who has had their licence cancelled for committing a crime, then when someone applies for a Permit to Acquire they cannot search to find if its been cancelled. So theoretically, a person who had a licence cancelled could still get a firearm as long as he had the PTA and his card.

Either, the Police Minister is lying to Parliament, or for some time the Police Registry has not been functioning. This shows that the 76 full time equivalent staff in Weapons Licencing could be disposed of and our community wouldn’t know anything had happened.

Gun Dealers would still fill out their registers, (because they obey the law), life would go on without the register of Long Arms. Law abiding shooters would save long waits and $37.00.  Gun dealers would have hours of productivity back instead of spending hours processing Form 10s and PTAs. Prices would come down and the world would go on oblivious. The Registry is not working now, they have admitted it in Parliament. It’s not worked for a long time maybe a year or more. So why do we still have it imposed on us??
Which politicians are going to give us our country back? It’s an election year, don’t wait for your organisation to do something, its numbers that count, (the oil goes to the squeaky Wheel) ask your State and Federal politicians what they are doing to help you.

http://www.owenguns.com/ad-category/used-guns/

Phone 07 54 825070.

Criminal incompetence: police & firearms

In 2010, the details of thousands of NSW firearms owners were downloaded on to the unsecured police intranet, available to general duties police officers, civilian volunteers and anyone else with access to the police intranet. Subsequently, there was a string of targeted thefts of firearms.

In a number of cases the thieves came equipped with cutting equipment and trolleys, removing the gun safe but not stealing other valuables in the house) gave shooters grave concern that the data had leaked to criminals. This gross breach of privacy remains un-remedied, with police instead claiming “there is no evidence to show there was a breach”…as if nobody could have copy/pasted on to a flash drive, or just printed a copy and taken it home. Sheer bloody-minded arrogance.

http://www.cla.asn.au/News/criminal-incompetence-police-firearms/

Thoughts For The Week By Ron Owen of Owen Guns Australia.

Thoughts For The Week.
“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free. The truth has been kept from the depth of their minds by masters who rule them with lies. They feed them on falsehoods till wrongs look like right in their eyes.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Last year, I mentioned that Almanacs were traditionally obtained for a New Year and predicted future annual events, foretelling tides, by the movement of the moon and stars, they also used the stars prophesying peoples horoscopes. In centuries gone by they were written by Old Moore, or Poor Richard, Pseudonym for Benjamin Franklin and some were ascribed to Father Time himself.  I’m not that old, but I did foretell in the 1980’s the coming tyranny of obscene gun laws and won the reputation as the Doomsayer of the firearm industry, until in 1996 it unfortunately all came true. For the preceding 16 years I wrote articles in Lock, Stock and Barrel warning, alerting, organising, trying to mobilise opposition to the forays from UN Civilian Disarmament, Academics such as Prof Paul Wilson (creep)and Rebecca Peters (creep ) and the media all funded by Sorus’ foundations. So for less than a penny here is Ron Owen’s Almanac for 2017.

Economic

Well first the bad news, as the new President Trump does the correct thing for America and tear’s up the international trade agreements, the USA economy and markets will gain considerably and as he spends more on defence, again their economy will grow, so to will the US dollar but in doing so will force the Australian dollar down.  Australia needs to follow suit to boost our economy.  Our pudding headed bunch of internationalist leaders, still think that a low Australian dollar is good for our economy, and will keep importing cheap labour from abroad and buying all manufactured goods off shore, which in turn drives our dollar down further and our international debt  grows immensely, again sending our credit rating and dollar into the deep south. As we import all our shooting equipment and accessories which have to be paid in foreign exchange rates, prices will continue to increase. Only when our dopy leaders read a history book and see how our leaders of a 100 years ago such as Henry Parkes and Good Iron Mac, (William McMillen) established a workable solution to further our economy without interfering in the exchange rate will they understand.  COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CONSTITUTION ACT   “Exclusive power over customs, excise, and bounties. Sub Section 90. On the imposition of uniform duties of customs the power of the Parliament to impose duties of customs and of excise, and to grant bounties on the production or export of goods, shall become exclusive.”

This economic philosophy was carried through by PM Andrew Fisher (Member for Gympie) and King Of Mally MP who founded the Commonwealth Bank Act of 1912 this made the Commonwealth Bank a bank of credit issue. This was very successful as it saved the Federal government from borrowing from the international owned banks and paying all revenue off the interest bill which is the way it works today. The Commonwealth Bank was gutted by the Bruce Page government in the early 1920s and we have been fleeced by the Big banks ever since. They even own the Commonwealth Bank now. Still the Australian governments of the 1920s till the 1960s built Australia’s industry and standard of living to be one of the highest in the world by imposing tariffs on imports and paying the revenue from that to exporters. That took the foreign exchange problem out of the equation. Our exporters could afford to supply the best prices in the world, and the high tariffs protected home industry and encouraged companies such as Ford, General Motors, General Electric, Lysaght, and Kraft to locate in Australia and export to Asia from here. Until, that is regained our economy will continue to slide into a third world quarry.

Defence, Non Existent.

Most of us who are reading and thinking people, are aware that our northern neighbours are countries that need our natural resources, yet do not need our small western population. Our defence forces are weak, almost non-existent, even though our dopy politicians throw billions of our taxpayer dollars into importing high price defence equipment which is sometimes obsolete by the time we get it. Common-sense should tell us that countries that spend big on defence research and development are going to make sure that their country has the latest and greatest and overseas sales to places like Australia are to keep the productions and factories running with second rate products. If Australia experiences a problem, because we have no quantity of ships or planes our small continent would be isolated and we could not get replacements, ammunition, or spare parts to continue. At any time the tiny island of Singapore could invade us and hold us, they might be the best option as they would be less likely to eliminates us all, as some of our other Northern neighbours would surely do.

Australia sleeps again, and again it will be left up to the little guys to save us from the mistakes of our sleeping leaders.

Our Industry.
This year again, there will be an increasing amount of Australians (more and more ladies) will buy hunting rifles, shotguns and target rifle without mentioning the real reason for their new interest in the sport of shooting, survival and defending their families. They will all enjoy our shooting sports, but all will want to keep their firearms close by. This phenomena has to be encouraged, without exposing the reason as again these new shooters increase our numbers. When they appreciate the impositions we live under, this will bring even more power to our cause, not only in our voting power but in forming networks to shape the future. We will have to sustain some small losses to win a victory, but this year as international troubles increase so to will our numbers increase, we are in the third final stage of our campaign to win back our rights. In 2016 the worm turned in the world, populations have discovered that the mainstream media has been lying to them for years, internet media now has greater credibility than mainstream, internet media is quicker and has the eyes on the spot, the mainstream takes the government, or Sorus funded approach and then quickly has to correct and make excuses. This will continue as the establishment has had the media power for so long that they have not yet accepted the plain fact that its credibility is blown. We have seen its destructive effects on One Nation, on the firearm industry, on Brexit and the latest example on Trump. It’s not working and this coming year the success of the past will form the foundation of the future. Youtube, Wikki leaks, Facebook Twitter will be our victory battle ground.

Protest Against G Soros intervention in Macedonia.

The Worm Has Turned.
The whole western world is currently in peaceful revolt.  2017 will be the end of one world and the birth of another, last year was the year for the awakening of the people, this year will see the return of nation states. Since our enemies have only one advantage, mainstream media power and their shortcomings are numbered and we have only one disadvantage no mainstream media outlets and our only advantage is power in numbers, in the past this has resulted in putting the Anti Gun people in a dominating position, now we know that the battle ground has to be fought with the internet media tools, or we will always be in this inferior position of Subjugation (Slavery by another name).  We have to be involved, ‘If we do nothing, we may well lose everything.’

On the world front after President Trump tears up the Trade agreements which have betrayed the western world since they were duped into the Lima Agreement. The UN having lost Israel and hopefully soon the USA, (Please read my recent article on the United Nations http://www.foaa.com.au/general/ ) then followed by Australia and every other free thinking western nation. Even though China has claimed an area as large as the Japanese Empire’s Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere of 1938 we can only hope that it does not have Japans willingness to shed millions of lives to enforce it. The boundary encompasses all of the major shipping lanes in the Asia Pacific and its southern border takes in the offshore oil reserves of Brunei. If President Trump really wants to clip China’s feathers and defend the interests of the Philippines that might be why he is so obvious in holding out the olive branch to Mr Putin as even Trump would not want to go to war with both of them at once. Of course we in Australia might serve as a large US non floating aircraft carrier like in WWII, but as our reduced capacity to defend ourselves makes us in-effectual, we may end up being the meat in the sandwich. Either the Chinese, or the Americans will drive their tanks here, or make it their battleground as no country would want to have it out in their own country. If we have a problem with China, besides having no Australian factories making toilet paper, which is another reason why Bibles would sell at a premium, China makes our army uniforms and our vehicles would come to a standstill with no car parts. ADI (Australia Defence Industries, owned by ‘Thales’ a French company) annual ammunition production would be shot away on the first day.  Current US army figures assess 300,000 rounds of .223 ammunition for each enemy killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Even four government factories in the USA could not cope and the US Army had to order from IMI Israeli Military Industries. The message there is to keep a good stock of ammunition, and always have the means of reloading at hand. As one of Australia’s 2 million firearm owners you are the ‘Citizen Army’ Australia’s only deterrent and real hope.

Queensland.
On the State and National front its not as gloomy, due to 22 % of voters at last years Federal Election voting against the Major Parties, the Orange By Election when the Shooters Party took a Blue Ribbon seat off the National Party, Brexit Results, Trump Results have caused large cracks to appear in the hearts of the major parties. Nationals senators Bridget McKenzie and John Williams voted with Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm in an attempt to overturn the Turnbull government’s import ban on the Adler lever action shotgun.  Cabinet ministers Fiona Nash, Matt Canavan and Nigel Scullion abstained from the vote, along with backbencher Barry O’Sullivan.

Labour Police Minister Bill Byrne was sacked because he lost the first parliamentary vote on more restrictive changes to the Weapons Act Regulations. This was ground breaking as for twenty years Nationals and Liberals have voted with Labour to pile on further impositions on law abiding firearm owners.  With the Katter Party’s two votes, Labour lost the resolution, the first time in living memory that a Queensland government lost. At the COAG meeting the National Firearm Agreement decided to re-categorise Lever Action shotguns from Category A to Category B for five shots and to category C for seven shots.  I believe that this regulation change to the Weapons Regulations (Categories) which will come up early in 2017 will also fail. If LNP with Katter’s Party, and the One Nation member vote against it, (which Katter’s party have announced and LNP seem to agree) then Labour will lose another resolution in the house and to support the COAG and the National Firearm Agreement (which is supposed to be uniform in every state, or fails) the Labour Premier Palaszczuk will have to go to the Governor and call an election. This alone should ensure that the LNP opposes the Lever Action re categorisation, but if its does not and instead it votes with Labour on this subject, then the firearm owners, incensed by this repeated betrayal will walk away in droves from the LNP into the welcoming arms of One Nation. Shooters are fully aware that if it is allowed to stand, that without any justification the government can change the category of lever action rifles from Category A to category C then there is no bottom, no promise after struggling to get a licence, struggling to get a Permit To Acquire, having to suffer every indignant imposition and that’s not enough to be left alone, is the straw that will break the camel back.

At present Labour could not win a chook raffle, but at the coming Queensland election, One Nation or a coalition of One Nation and LNP and Katter party will govern this state. Labour will shortly make and offer to the Shooting Associations a proposal to try and get them to support the Category change on the hope that this will smooth the LNP to vote with them. The deal will be that everyone with a registered 5 shot lever action shotgun will be awarded a new licence which will include a Category ‘B’ and everyone with a 7 shot lever action will be given a licence which will include a “C” so all will be able to keep them.  Unfortunately they will be unable to sell them, or dispose of them and will not be able to pass them on to their family even when they die.  Only a dealer will be able to acquire them, but would be unable to resell them, making them worthless.  That has always been referred to as a Grandfather Act and leaves the law abiding shooter with property that he can shoot but has lost all its value. All this is an unwanted precedent which they can repeat whenever the urge suits COAG or any of its member states so it must be opposed.

So too is his Un-informed Gun Laws. Its take 20 year but I hope he still lives to see them thrown out.

My best prophecy for 2017 is that One Nation will take out that line in its current policy,  “Current gun laws are adequate and should remain unchanged.”
If it does not it will not get very far as it traditionally relies on shooters to man booths and hand out for them on election day. This will force the LNP in Queensland and the Nationals in NSW and Victoria to change its firearm policy and begin the walk back to freedom. Still a long way off, but due to our increased number of voters and internet media, the ‘Writing is truly on the Wall’ we are ‘defiantly’ in phase three.

To give an example of how to get involved please write to your local papers, letter to the editor, ask candidate either individually or separately  ‘how they will represent the law abiding firearm owners’, ask them in person or on face-book, or email or snail mail. If the 10,000 shooters who received this email all contacted one candidate and just told them that ‘without some evidence of them supporting shooters, they and their families will not vote for them’, that would be enough to change the direction of the politicians. Trouble is, just a few of us have to carry the burden and work harder for those who do nothing, but there again when we win, even though we might never murmur a word we know that the glory belongs to those who worked for it.

Please don’t take this final third stage of our prolonged war, too lightly as this part might be the hardest part, as when we get them all elected and in power, we then have to ensure that they carry out the instructions of those whom they represent and not betray us like the Liberal and National Party did in 1996. Remember Lots of Little Victories lead to Giant Victories.

——————-

There is no Spring without Winter, without Mistakes there is no Learning. There is no Life without Death, without Doubts there is no Faith. There is no Peace without War, without Fear there is no Courage. For without Mistakes, Doubts and Fears there are no pathways to Wisdom.

Ron Owen.
owenguns@spiderweb.com.au

Australian Firearms Owners Fail To Support Each Other.

This I think is a prime example of how firearms owners in Australia DO NOT support each other. Not only that, but the different factions or special interest groups within firearms associations also fail to support each other. No wonder we are slowly but surely losing our rights.
It is just about the end of another year, & this petition is now CLOSED. I would like to sincerely thank all those gun owners who supported my petition, ALL 25 OF YOU!!!
This was not only posted on facebook, but it was also posted on my blogs & other media outlets. Now whilst it is possible that many people did not agree with my petition, I find it hard to believe that I only got 25 signatures.
Keith.

Australian Government Small Arms and Light Weapons Control.

Non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control

http://dfat.gov.au/international-relations/security/non-proliferation-disarmament-arms-control/conventional-weapons-missiles/pages/small-arms-and-light-weapons.aspx

Stop the vilification and hate speech by Gun Control Australia. Please Sign This Petition.

https://www.change.org/p/australian-human-rights-commission-stop-the-vilification-and-hate-speech-by-gun-control-australia?recruiter=29128190&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Firearms Legislation. What Do We Need?

Firearms Legislation.

What Do We Need?

By any type of firearms legislation, what is the main goal? What do we want to achieve? Firstly I think we need to achieve a reasonable level of safety for Australian citizens, without impeding the freedom & rights of Australian gun owners. Note I said “reasonable level of safety”. I say that because there will always be a criminal element in our society that will ALWAYS have access to illegal firearms, no matter what our government may legislate. You simply can not expect criminals to obey the law; that is why we call them criminals!

At present in New South Wales, a person wanting to own a firearm must pass a written & practicle exam before they can obtain a firearms licence. When they want to purchase a firearm, they must apply for a “permit to purchase”. This permit must show the exact firearm that the licensed person wants to acquire, & this is done by recording the serial number of the firearm that is for sale. If that firearm is sold by the time the permit is issued, then the licensed person must start all over again, finding another gun, & applying for another permit to purchase.

Once the gun is purchased & in the charge of the licensed gun owner, it must be at all times, other than when in use or being cleaned, lock in a secure firearms safe that meets all legislation requirements. Next this firearm must be registered with the New South Wales Firearms Registry. Only two of these requirements do anything to partially secure the safety of the Australian public, & that is the licensing of the would-be gun owner, & the requirement that the firearm be secured in a gun safe. Permit to purchase & firearms registration does nothing except add more cost for the gun owner & the Australian tax payer, & of course more work & cost for the NSW Firearms Registry which is a part of the NSW Police Service.

FIREARMS LICENCE CATEGORIES

LICENCE CATEGORY A:
air rifles
rimfire rifles(other than self-loading)
shotguns (other than pump action or self-loading)
shotgun/rimfire rifle combinations.
LICENCE CATEGORY B:
muzzle-loading firearms (other than pistols)
centre fire rifles (other than self-loading)
shotgun/centre fire rifle combinations.
LICENCE CATEGORY C: (prohibited except for occupational purposes)
self-loading rimfire rifles with magazine capacity of no more than 10 rounds
self-loading shotguns with magazine capacity of no more than 5 rounds
pump action shotguns with magazine capacity of no more than 5 rounds.
LICENCE CATEGORY D: (prohibited except for official purposes)
self-loading centre fire rifles
self-loading rimfire rifles with a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds
self-loading shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds
pump action shotguns with a magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds
any firearm to which a category C licence applies.
LICENCE CATEGORY H:
pistols (including blank fire pistols and air pistols).
Special licensing requirements apply for Licence Category H. They are not addressed in the Handbook. For information on pistol licences contact the NSW Police Firearms Registry.
In all Licence Categories, the licensee is authorised to possess or use registered firearm(s) of the kind to which the licence applies, but only for the purpose established by the licensee as being the genuine reason(s) for possessing or using the firearm(s).

Please note that certain classes of firearms are restricted; every would-be gun owner MUST give a good reason for owning any firearms. This of course only applies to law abiding citizens; criminals have no restrictions placed on them at all.

Also note that Muzzle-Loading firearms other than pistols require a B Class licence, the same as centerfire firearms.

Shotguns require an A Class licence. But some Muzzle-Loading guns are also shotguns, but they are on a B Class licence.

Firearms made before 1901 are classed as antiques, & providing modern ammunition can not be purchased over the counter for these guns. These antiques require no licence, permit to purchase, or registration. It is interesting to note here, that modern made Muzzle-Loading firearms are no different in design or operation than an antique Muzzle-Loading gun, yet the modern replica requires a licence, registration & permit to purchase.

Let me give you a quick run down on how a Flintlock Muzzle-Loading gun works. Gunpowder must be loaded loose, down the barrel from the muzzle using a powder measure. The shotgun is then loaded with two wads down the barrel, then loose shot also with a measure, then another wad is loaded on top. Each wad load must be pushed down the barrel with a ramrod or wiping stick. Then you have to prime the pan with more loose gunpowder. Ignition is supplied by a piece of rock, yes rock as in stone. This rock is held in the jaws of a cock. When the trigger is pulled, the cock flies forward & the piece of rock strikes the hammer. This causes sparks to fall into the priming pan igniting the priming powder which flashes through a vent into the breech of the barrel & ignites the main charge in the barrel & the gun fires.
Now I am sure, even if you are a firearms novice, that you will see that not just anyone will know how to make this gun work properly. It is NOT the choice of criminals, it is NOT the choice of people wishing to commit suicide, & it is NOT the choice of mentally ill people wishing to slaughter their family or anyone else. This gun is the choice of Living Historians, Historical Reenactors & Muzzle-Loading enthusiast, & yet the same restrictions are placed on this primitive tool as is placed on centerfire breech loading cartridge firing firearms.

PROPOSALS:

1.        I propose that the registering of all firearms be abolished. I see no reason for registration. It does allow the government to keep track of who owns what so they can be confiscated at any time, but this does not add to the well being of the general public.

2.       I propose that the Permit To Purchase be abolished. This too serves no purpose that I can see, other than to make it harder for a law abiding citizens to acquire a firearm.

3.       I propose that permit to purchase & registration be abolished for the ownership of all reproduction Flintlock, Wheellock, Matchlock, & Tinderlock firearms, including; pistols, shotguns, rifles, fusils, muskets, swivel guns, wall guns, palisade guns, & blunderbuss. Compared to the array of modern firearms available on the black market, this type of gun poses no threat to the general public what so ever, & to suggest that it does is simply not sensible or practicle & shows total ignorance on the part of the law makers.
4. I propose that all muzzle-loading guns other than percussion locks & cap & ball revolvers require only a Category A licence.
5. I propose that percussion lock muzzle-loading guns & cap & ball revolvers require only a Category B licence.
6. I propose that the requirement for all muzzle-loading pistols & cap & ball revolvers be for Hunting  & that pistol club membership not be mandatory. These primitive arms have been used for a back-up for hunting for centuries, as the muzzle-loading long arm is usually only a single shot. Carrying a muzzle-loading pistol is a humane way of dispatching game if it is wounded, & carrying one when hunting wild boar is a safety measure for the hunter.

If anyone has any views or suggestions relating to this article & firearms legislation in Australia, I would welcome their comments.

Keith.

The Matchlock is very similar to the Tinderlock. It requires a burning match cord for ignition.

The Wheellock requires a piece of Pyrite rock for ignition and a key to wind the lock up.

The flintlock requires a piece of flint rock to supply ignition.

The swivel gun must be mounted on a post and can not be used freehand. Ignition is supplied by a burning match cord secured in a linstock.

Firearms Ownership In Australia.

Australian National Firearms Lobby.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/australiannationalfirearmslobby/

I would like to see all flintlock Muzzle-loading guns, pistols & longarms, on a separate licence, & available to anyone without having to join a pistol club. These guns are in a class of their own, & I think it is unfair to restrict ownership.
At present, antique guns are available without licence, without registration, & without permit to purchase. I think the requirement of a licence should be mandatory for replica Flintlock Muzzle-Loading guns, but I do not see the necessity for registration & permit to purchase. This involves unwanted expense for the firearms owner & the taxpayer. In fact I do not see the need for a licensed individual to have to register any legal gun, or require a permit to purchase.

Keith.