Details of gun laws revealed, but no word on mental health checks
Updated ,first published
Queenslanders will need to be Australian citizens to own a gun under changes to firearm legislation set to be introduced in parliament this week.
The long-awaited announcement on gun laws came as the Crisafulli government firmly rejected the possibility of a weapons buyback – now or in the future – despite calls for Queensland to fall in line with a federal proposal.
The state government also remained tight-lipped on whether it would introduce a recommendation from the Wieambilla inquest for mandatory mental health checks, promising an update when parliament returns on Tuesday.
Queensland’s new gun laws include increased penalties for stealing firearms and unlawfully trafficking, possessing, supplying and modifying weapons, and a new offence penalising the “reckless discharge of a weapon” on a building or vehicle to crack down on drive-by shootings.
Premier David Crisafulli said the laws would allow police to deal with terrorists and criminals “in the strongest possible way”.
“If you’re going to own a gun in this state, you have to be an Aussie citizen,” he said.
“I think most people will overwhelmingly support that as common sense.”
“[These are] the toughest penalties in the country when it comes to clamping down on those who shouldn’t have weapons.”
He insisted Queensland would not repeat what he saw as the federal government’s mistakes.
“I’ve seen what came out of Canberra, and it’s been a mess,” he said.
Following the Bondi terror attack on a Jewish event that killed 15 people and injured dozens more, the Albanese government announced laws to establish a national gun buyback scheme and enforce rigorous background checks for gun owners.
Federal legislation to combat antisemitism, hate speech and extremism was also passed in January.
The Crisafulli government has consistently said it would not participate in the national buyback as it would not keep guns from terrorists and criminals, and confirmed on Monday the new legislation would not change the number of firearms a gun licensee can have.
“We are dealing with keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and criminals, and if you’re asking me how many weapons I think somebody should have who isn’t a fit and proper person, the answer is zero,” he said.
“Not one or two or three or four – zero. And that’s what these reforms do.”
Attorney-general Deb Frecklington called on the Labor opposition for bipartisan support on the laws.
“We know the state Labor opposition have got one thing in mind, and that is to weaken those criminal laws in this state,” Frecklington said.
“However, today I’m calling on that bipartisan support because we know that whether it’s in youth crime, in terrorism or antisemitic behaviour, we as a government cannot repeat the past.”
On Sunday, the Crisafulli government announced laws to combat antisemitism and terrorism that included tougher penalties on the use of symbols such as swastikas; tougher penalties for intimidation and wilful damage at places of worship; and the criminalisation of slogans such as “globalise the intifada” and “from the river to the sea”.
Queensland is the only state or territory to ban “from the river to the sea”, a chant popularised by the pro-Palestine movement amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Legislation in response to the Wieambilla inquest, which could include mandatory mental health checks for gun ownership, will be announced on Tuesday.
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