Australia’s Once Rugged Gun Owners Reduced to Criminals by Anti-Gun Nanny State

Australia’s Once Rugged Gun Owners Reduced to Criminals by Anti-Gun Nanny State
By Jeff Knox

no guns
Australia’s Once Rugged Gun Owners Reduced to Criminals by Anti-Gun Nanny State
FirearmsCoalition.org
FirearmsCoalition.org

Manassas, VA –-(Ammoland.com)- I’ve long been fascinated by Australia and its people.

A visit to that country has been high on my bucket list since I was just a kid, but more and more as I read about present-day Australia I am disappointed and saddened.

It seems that the days of rugged individualism and self-determination are gone from the land down under and the heroic characters of the past like Ned Kelly and Banjo Patterson have faded into the realm of myth and fairytales.

It wasn’t so long ago that the reputation of Australia included the belief that one Australian could easily – and happily – pommel any two men from any other country – more if she put down her baby. And Australian men had an even hardier reputation.

Sadly that’s no longer the case as Australia has apparently devolved into a namby-pamby society of effete urbanites, hen-pecked by anglophilic nannies and socialist, world-citizen politicians who revel in Australia’s rugged history while criminalizing and quashing any hint of such thought or action in present day.

My disappointment in Australia turned into outright disgust recently when I happened upon two stories in Australian media, both dated August 10. The first, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that the government of New South Wales had revoked the firearm license of Richard Hawkins, an 89-year old veteran of World War II, because the tool chest in which he locked up his two .22 rifles did not meet the government’s security standards. This was discovered during a routine “safe storage audit.”

Hawkins then disassembled the rifles and gave them to a local locksmith – the son of a war buddy – for safe-keeping until he could get a more secure storage container. Unfortunately one of the rifles was a semi-auto and therefore a “Category C” firearm requiring a special license to possess – a license the locksmith did not hold. The hearing officer cited these errors as proof of Hawkin’s inability to understand the rules of firearms ownership. The magistrate expressed further concern that the old vet was only able to shoot from a supported position due to back and neck injuries he sustained fighting for Australia’s freedom against Nazi and Japanese aggressors.

“In my opinion, it is not in the public interest for a person to hold a firearms license if that person does not have the physical capacity to safely use a firearm, including use in unexpected or emergency situations.”

Unexpected or emergency situations?
These are .22 caliber rifles which are required to be locked, unloaded, in a government approved storage container at all times except when actually being used for government approved purposes. Mr. Hawkins, who lives alone on secluded land out in the country, explained that he used the .22s for pest control. What response to “unexpected or emergency situations” is this judge possibly referring to? Certainly not self-defense.

Then ABC Newcastle reported that during another routine “safe storage audit,” a loaded gun and ammunition were discovered locked in a farmer’s government approved firearms safe.

The nanny from the gun control coalition explained: “There’s a reason why firearms and ammunition are separated and that is for safety, particularly because guns are kept in the home. We need to ensure the persons that are in the home are as safe as possible. This is because of accidents or suicide or potential domestic violence situations.”

Clearly the farmer in this case, the husband of Pru Goward, a member of the New South Wales Parliament, like the battle-hardened veteran and life-long gun owner Mr. Hawkins, needs this nanny to keep him and his family safe. His case was scheduled to go to trial later this month.

Mr. Hawkins asked an important question when the police advised him that they were revoking his firearm license: “Haven’t you blokes got anything better to do than going around harassing war veterans?”

Seriously, how much time, money, and manpower is wasted in registering, inspecting, and confiscating guns from law-abiding citizens – and prosecuting those good citizens? Australia has spent Billions of dollars on this nonsense while their crime rates soared. At this point their violent crime rates are in decline, as they are in the US and Canada, but they are declining from record highs set after the people allowed themselves to be disarmed.

What could have been accomplished if all of that money and energy had been focused on criminals rather than law-abiding gun owners?

What’s most disheartening is that the Australian people are not outraged and revolted by stories like these. Sadly, the beautiful “land down under” has followed the UK into a true-to-life Monty Python joke.

About:
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition is a project of Neal Knox Associates, Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org

Copyright © 2011 Neal Knox Associates – The most trusted name in the rights movement.

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Mattius

A hand gun, I do not need that any where – no more.

I have had hand guns (in Finland), and "hand attitude", but not anymore, because of faith for Jesus Christ.

I could be shot also now, even for my back, but I do not be afraid anymore.

Regards Matti

PS. I have still a prob whit nice guns every then and then, but who needs a pistol to heal a person?

Tom

I have been a shooter/hunter for nigh on 40 years in Australia, and over that time have seen the "progressive wimps and dimwitted drongo killjoys" (usually in a noisy minority) gradually introduce harsher and yet more harsh gun laws – and other laws – designed to take the enjoyment out of living. Recently (2011) our bumbling minister for police in Western Australia ensured that previously lawful crossbow owners became lawbreakers when he unilaterally enacted a ban on them because he "doesn't like them". No consultation with owner /users, but plenty with the anti's. Thousands of dollars of equipment are supposed… Read more »

Andrew

I'm born and raised in Australia, and yes I totally agree with everything you say, Australia's gun laws are an absolute joke, air rifles that can be purchased in the US from Wallmart by anyone who's over 18, are severely restricted in Australia. I wish that the gun laws would change here, but Australia is full of over protecting pussies. Australia is a great place and I love it here, but the laws here on a lot of things (not just firearms) are totally over protective.

Bill

If we don’t stop NRA compromise the same thing is going to happen here in the USA!

Prior to the passage of the 1968 GCA we could buy guns through the mail, NO background checks, NO 4473 forms, yet crime was low!

When the NRA supported an end to mail order sales in this country they changed our culture!!!!!