[Greens-Media] Greens call for stolen firearms investigation

[Elizabeth.Ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au]

MEDIA RELEASE - 20 JUNE 2007

GREENS CALL FOR STOLEN FIREARMS INVESTIGATION

Victorian Greens MPs have called for an urgent investigation into the 
number of unrecovered stolen firearms in Victoria and the level of 
compliance and monitoring of the safekeeping of firearms that has been 
carried out since 2003, for the safe storage of firearms.

In Parliament yesterday, Sue Pennicuik MLC said "The Greens express their 
shock and horror at yesterday's shootings in Melbourne and their heartfelt 
condolences for the victims and their families and friends. This horrific 
incident highlights the need for stronger national handgun control laws."

"The Greens' proposals to ban semi automatic handguns, except for police 
and other legitimate users, have been voted down in the federal 
Parliament. There is no reason for any person other than a police officer 
to be carrying such a weapon. The federal and state governments must stop 
pandering to the shooters' lobby and focus on their responsibility to 
protect the community from violence perpetrated by the use of guns."

Ms Pennicuik referred to an Australian Institute of Criminology analysis 
of firearms theft in Australia.

 "The report says that in the six months it looked at in 2006, 664 
firearms were reported stolen; of those, 9 per cent were handguns. The 
majority were registered but only 12 per cent of the firearms stolen were 
recovered. Ammunition was stolen in just over one quarter of the 
incidents, and firearms had previously been stolen from the same locations 
in six incidents. Some 30 per cent of the incidents involved the theft of 
firearms not stored correctly."

The Greens have been campaigning since 1996 to restrict handguns, in 
particular semi automatic handguns capable of causing multiple deaths.

For Further comment:
Sue Pennicuik: 0407 000 270

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