Community Safety must Trump the Gun Lobby

The Greens are joining with gun violence prevention advocates across
Australia in calling on the Turnbull-Joyce government to maintain the importation
ban on the dangerous 7-shot magazine Adler repeat action shot gun.

Greens NSW MP and gun control spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

"This is crunch time for Australia's world-leading gun laws. Prime Minister
Turnbull has a clear choice to either build on John Howard's legacy or tear
it down.

"For the past 20 years since the Port Arthur tragedy, gun owners and
farmers have got by just fine without this dangerous new firearm. There is
absolutely no need to import the Adler shotgun into Australia.


"I'm in the US at the moment looking at the gun problem and if there is one
message that is coming through loud and clear it's the need to ensure we
don't go down the US path of communities saturated with guns. Once that
occurs it is almost impossible to come back from.

"Not only should we keep the import restriction but we must legislate in
all states to prevent backyard magazine extensions of the 5 shot Adler.
Currently this is only illegal in NSW," Mr Shoebridge said.

Senator Lee Rhiannon Greens federal gun control spokesperson said: “If the
Prime Minister goes weak at the knees on the Howard era gun control legacy
he will be jeopardising public safety in a most dangerous way.

“Mr Turnbull and all state premiers should stare down the National pro-gun
lobby and not allow the National Firearm Agreement to be watered down.

“The great strength of the National Firearm Agreement was the restrictions
it placed on all rapid fire or semi-automatic weapons. Tomorrow’s meeting
to decide on the Adler shotguns and Australia’s gun laws must stick with
this commitment,” Senator Rhiannon said.

8 December 2016