Gun amnesty and buyback extended

The Age (Australia) ^ | April 1, 2004 | NA

[neverdem]

A gun amnesty and buyback was extended in NSW by three months to ensure all licensed shooters whose firearms were banned are compensated.

Police Minister John Watkins said the National Handgun Buyback would be extended in NSW until June 30, along with an amnesty so people can surrender their firearms and avoid hefty penalties.

Under the amnesty which began on October 1, 5,520 weapons have been surrendered including 3,960 rifles, 1,042 shotguns and 477 handguns.

The guns were disabled and destroyed in bulk incinerations.

"Police will keep collecting, disabling and destroying weapons at secret locations to ensure they never end up in the hands of criminals," Mr Watkins said in a statement.

Possession of an illegal weapon carries a maximum 14 year jail penalty.

Specialist buyback vans will continue to travel the state for another three months until the buyback extension ends.

"The three month extension will ensure all licensed shooters are visited and compensated for guns banned by the Council of Australian Governments agreement," Mr Watkins said.

This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/04/01/1080544607730.html

[neverdem]

There's no doubt as far as I'm concerned that they've lost their minds. On the boob tube about an hour ago, Lisa Myers of NBC had a report about an Al Qaeda website telling their followers to attack Americans, who have the highest priority, but the other infidels on the list were the Australians, British, Canadians, Spanish and Italians among others.

[neverdem]

BANG

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[RightWinger]

Idiots!
Now, more than ever, people need to have firearms.
Who knows when the next terrorist will open up in a mall or break down a homeowner's door.

[KangarooJacqui]

"Police will keep collecting, disabling and destroying weapons at secret locations to ensure they never end up in the hands of criminals," Mr Watkins said in a statement.

Oh, horsesh!t.

[Blue Highway]

"Police will keep collecting, disabling and destroying weapons at secret locations to ensure they never end up in the hands of criminals," Mr Watkins said in a statement. Possession of an illegal weapon carries a maximum 14 year jail penalty.

This would be appropriate in iraq. Give up their guns or be shot on site!

[neverdem]

LOL

[KangarooJacqui]

This would be appropriate in iraq. Give up their guns or be shot on site!

Exactly. Why is it the hoons and yahoos Iraqis seem to be allowed to carry around whatever sort of firearms they like, while here in Australia we have this sort of dang stupidity going on?

[monkeywrench]

I imagine they keep extending the deadline because people aren't complying, correct?

[AgThorn]

Stupidity for sure!!! So what gun's aren't banned in Aussie land? By the read of the article, it appears that rifles are being collected as well as handguns.

[Viking2002]

The Australian males have allowed themselves to be neutered by the Nanny. Don't let your bloomers chafe, girls.

[tet68]

May their chains sit lightly upon their bowed heads.

[KangarooJacqui]

I imagine they keep extending the deadline because people aren't complying, correct?

I must admit I haven't kept up to date on this issue, but the last time I heard of an amnesty, it ended in 1997. So either they've banned more types of guns, or there was a huge case of civil disobedience to begin with.

Being Aussie, I trust government about as far as I can throw them, and am all for civil disobedience. :-)

[Cloud William]

A gun amnesty and buyback was extended in NSW by three months to ensure all licensed shooters whose firearms were banned are compensated.

Oh, as if they're so concerned about the shooters whose firearms have already been confiscated. Clearly, the choices are to either:

(a) End the amnesty period and then have to enforce some seriously unpopular laws, or:

(b) Keep finding excuses to extend the program, for as long as it takes for this batch of politicians to reach retirement age.

I read that sentence and wondered: Is there an Australian phrase which is preferred over "Oh, Bullsh!t"? Anyone?

Keep pouring your old crankcase oil in the garden, mates.

[KangarooJacqui]

So what gun's aren't banned in Aussie land?

Shall I blame the media or plain ole American insularity for that remark?

And where shall I put the blame for that misplaced apostophe? State schooling?

*sigh* I get tired of explaining this on thread after thread. ALL GUNS were NOT banned in Australia in 1996. For more information on which ones were, and which ones are still allowed, you're going to ask someone who knows a bit more about guns (I can just about tell a Smith and Wesson from an AK-47).

[El Gato]

This would be appropriate in iraq. Give up their guns or be shot on site!

Nah, the bad guys would still not give them up, and the good guys would then be defenseless. The Coalition recognized this and has not confiscated individual weapons, only RPGs, heavy machine guns, and SAMs and larger stuff, on the theory that all that really belongs to the Iraqi government, which it probably did at one time or another, and it wasn't sold either, it was either give out, or stolen.

[El Gato]

Under the amnesty which began on October 1, 5,520 weapons have been surrendered including 3,960 rifles, 1,042 shotguns and 477 handguns.

Which has got to be a piddling amount compared to the numbers of "eligible" guns in NSW, alone, and it's not clear if those numbers are for NSW or all of Oz. Ozzie compliance with gun bans hasn't been what the down-under gun grabbers had hoped, not by a long shot.

[El Gato]

Exactly. Why is it the hoons and yahoos Iraqis seem to be allowed to carry around whatever sort of firearms they like, while here in Australia we have this sort of dang stupidity going on?

Cause you haven't shot the buggers who are (trying to) impose it? Of course large numbers of you haven't complied either, else they'd not be extending the "buyback" and "amnesty". I predict that large numbers will still not comply.

[KangarooJacqui]

Okay El Gato, how many Iraqis have the coalition of the willing shot for carrying around weapons that they patently shouldn't be?

Statistics. I want them and I want them NOW! :-)

[Casloy]

Buyback, huh? Ok mates, I want 48,000 dollars for this 38 special I got in a pawn shop. You're buying, I'm selling!!!