There’s growing concern in agriculture circles about the overreach by the Queensland Police Service’s Weapons Licensing Branch (WLB) applying increasing restrictions on farmers’ legitimate use of so-called large calibre weapons and other firearms, in their workplace.
The increasing unease is around WLB decision-making regarding firearm licence renewals and applications and how the Permit to Acquire applications are approved.
The WLB’s misinterpretation of current legislation in order to deter and prevent law-abiding licenced firearm owners from buying and using these various firearms legitimately needs to be brought into line by Police Minister Dan Purdie.
It seems the WLB is increasingly complicating and delaying the issuing and renewal of primary producer licences, along with dramatically increasing the questions and scrutiny toward primary producers – even for common centrefire rifles such as a 223 or 30/30 – on the basis that there could be changes to legislation sometime in the future.
AgForce supports access to and the safe use of any firearm category (A, B, C, D and H) and noise suppression devices to ensure the prompt, safe and humane euthanising of livestock that are injured or in serious distress, and for use in the fight against feral animals.
Our calls to allow firearm suppressors is backed up by extensive research as to their efficacy, but this has so far been ignored, even though this is a member issue we have been advocating for, for many years.
Noise suppression devices are crucial for a safe working environment for primary producers.
The fitting of a suppressor to a firearm has an important health and safety role by reducing noise and hearing damage for both the shooter and any bystanders.
Other than the Queensland Police Service and Queensland based Australian Defence Force personnel, Queensland Primary Producers make up the largest number of legitimate firearm users. Yet that doesn’t appear to be taken into account in decision making.
Under the Queensland Government’s Biosecurity Act 2014, landowners have a general biosecurity obligation and are responsible for taking all reasonable and practical steps to minimise the risks associated with invasive animals. Culling these pests with a firearm is one way producers meet this biosecurity requirement. With proper use, firearms provide one of the quickest and most effective methods of humane culling of animals.
The perceived public safety concern that “silencing” firearms increases crime and makes the community more vulnerable because they are unable to hear the shots fired is incorrect. Research shows that suppressors do not make the weapon silent, but only reduce the noise to safer levels.
We call on the State Government to provide primary producers with access to firearm suppressors, as an efficient and well-engineered personal protection tool that reduces the risk of hearing loss and brings Queensland into line with the majority of other states.
Politicians have made commitments, but have not followed through. Six months into this new state parliamentary term, the commitment made by former Police Minister Ryan to amend firearms regulations for suppressors remains unfulfilled.
The evidence is overwhelming. Industry reports, QCAT recommendations and WorkSafe Queensland guidelines all point to the need for urgent change. Every day that passes without action puts our primary producers at risk of preventable harm.
We urge Queensland’s Police Minister to use existing legislative provisions to prioritise this issue, and take immediate action to protect Queensland primary producers by implementing the promised changes. Workplace health and safety laws cannot be ignored without consequences. The time for action is now.
