Questions without Notice - Mandatory Gun Club Membership

Описание: Firearms Legislation - https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Han...

The Hon. SCOTT BARRETT (11:39): My question is directed to the Minister for Agriculture in her capacity as Minister and also in her capacity representing the Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism. During debate on the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, the police Minister said that the Government would consider providing an exemption for mandatory gun club membership to primary producers, farmers, those employed in vertebrate pest animal control, very remote licence holders and employees using a firearm in the course of their employment. What steps has the Minister taken to secure that exemption for farmers, and will she guarantee it will be in place before the mandatory gun club membership provision is commenced?

The Hon. TARA MORIARTY (Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales, and Minister for Western New South Wales) (11:40): I thank the member for the question. I congratulate him for being an assistant shadow Minister for Agriculture in the new regime. I think that makes him one of six shadows for me. I had one before, but now I have six. I congratulate the Opposition. In relation to the question, which has been asked of me in my capacity as the Minister and also in my capacity representing the Minister for Police and Counter‑terrorism, I will engage with the police Minister on the work that she is doing, because this is her legislation. I will take on notice the details about what the Minister is doing in relation to this matter.

The Government recalled the Parliament following a terror attack on Bondi Beach, where innocent victims in the Jewish community were targeted and murdered late last year. We recalled the Parliament to take decisive action to deal with gun laws in New South Wales. It was important for the Government to do that. The Parliament passed that legislation late last year to make sure that we have better protections in place for our community. That is what the community expects us to do.

The question rightly asks about complications and other uses for guns in New South Wales. They are used by primary producers and farmers for pest control and animal welfare issues. We have ensured that, while we have put in place limits for gun ownership in New South Wales, we have allowed for consideration of the needs of farmers to own more than that limit. Farmers can have 10 guns as licence holders. That is considering the important needs of primary producers in New South Wales to deal with pests. [Time expired.]

The Hon. SCOTT BARRETT (11:42): It is no big shock that most farmers do not want to join gun clubs, nor do they need to, to learn how to be safe with their guns and not be terrorists like we saw at Bondi. The Minister would know that, if there was any sort of consultation around this legislation that was expected. Will the Minister work with the police Minister to fix that? While the Minister is at it, will she and the police Minister look into the removal of unusable war guns licensed to the Kempsey Macleay RSL Sub-Branch museum? It complied with all requirements, addressed inspection issues and repeatedly sought reinspection. But, because of police delays—the police also confused the sub-branch with the RSL—those treasured relics were confiscated. It seems like this Government is not managing guns well at all. It is no wonder regional New South Wales is up in arms about the new laws. Will the Minister intervene to ensure the matter is reviewed and resolved urgently for the Kempsey Macleay RSL Sub-Branch museum?

The Hon. TARA MORIARTY (Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional New South Wales, and Minister for Western New South Wales) (11:43): I thank the member for the ongoing discussion about gun law reform in New South Wales. I will take on notice the specifics of the situation in Kempsey. I am not sure of the arrangements that have been put in place there, but I am happy to find out and come back to the member and the House. As a government we considered the serious need for gun law reform in New South Wales in response to the terror event on Bondi Beach, where innocent people were murdered. The community expected us to take action to better protect the people of New South Wales. We are doing that. We did that by passing gun law reform. At the same time, we are mindful that primary producers are different to other gun users and need access to weapons as part of the work that they do in pest control. We have accommodated that. I have met with NSW Farmers and I will continue to talk to farmers about their needs. [Time expired.]