- Queensland Parliament passes new Firearm Prohibition Order laws
- A Firearm Prohibition Order prohibits a high-risk individual from possessing, using or acquiring a firearm
- Police empowered to conduct searches of the high-risk individual, their vehicle or residence to ensure compliance with the Firearm Prohibition Order
The Queensland Parliament has passed new laws restricting high-risk individuals from access to a firearm.
The laws implement a Firearm Prohibition Order regime in Queensland and empower police with the ability to carry out searches of high-risk individuals, their vehicles and place of residence to ensure compliance with the Order.
A Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) prohibits a high-risk individual subject to the order from possessing, using, or acquiring a firearm or firearm related item.
As indicated during the Parliamentary Debate, examples of high-risk individual include terrorists, Organised Crime participants, and high-risk DFV perpetrators.
The aim is to further support community safety.
In addition, the new laws introduce a new verification process for purchasing small arms ammunition.
The legislation introduces a safeguard in relation to the sale of small arms ammunition by amending the Explosives Act to introduce a new offence which requires sellers to engage in a new verification process to ensure a buyer of small arms ammunition possesses a valid licence or authority to purchase the ammunition.
Again, the objective is to enhance community safety.
As stated by Minister for Police and Community Safety, Mark Ryan:
"The only people who will be impacted by these reforms are those who pose a danger to the community.
"Law abiding weapons licence holders will not be impacted in any way.
"These reforms are focussed on those people who don't possess a weapons licence and are manifestly unfit to have such a licence.
"The government makes no excuses for focussing on those people who wish to cause harm in the community."
