Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA said the first day of public hearings into Labor’s Firearms Act has laid bare a litany of problems caused by the Cook Government’s rushed and heavy-handed legislation.
Mr Love said community safety organisations told the Committee that confusion, poor communication from WA Police, and failures with the online firearms portal were undermining confidence in the new laws.
“When respected organisations like Injury Matters and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation are raising concerns about the rollout and calling for more resources for WA Police, it shows just how badly this process has been bungled,” Mr Love said.
Mr Love acknowledged the role the community groups who attended the hearings played in advocating for victim-survivors impacted by family and domestic violence.
“The Nationals WA have always supported the strengthened family and domestic violence provisions in the Act, and it was valuable to hear from these organisations around their views,” Mr Love said.
Shadow Agriculture Minister Lachlan Hunter has slammed the Cook Labor Government’s bungled firearms reforms, warning they could cripple vital animal control and biosecurity efforts across regional Western Australia.
It follows revelations from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) that the State’s Animal Control Agent program—which relies on trained volunteers to humanely euthanise injured wildlife—is now at risk because volunteers have been excluded from the new licensing arrangements.
“The Government’s failure to properly consult has left a huge gap in our ability to respond to injured wildlife and manage feral animal threats on the ground,” Mr Hunter said.
“Volunteers who have operated safely and effectively for years are being sidelined. It’s not just a red tape issue—this has real consequences for animal welfare and rural biosecurity.”
Mr Love said the hearings exposed a stark gap between the glowing reports government agencies gave about WA Police, and the reality described by outside groups.
“Conservation groups described dealing with WA Police as frustrating and contradictory, with one person even spending three hours on hold seeking answers. It’s no wonder there is a lack of trust,” Mr Love said.
Mr Love said he welcomed the decision to expand the Parliamentary Inquiry into Labor’s heavy-handed Firearms Act to include public hearings and thanked all who attended.
“These hearings are an opportunity for the truth to come out. Labor’s firearms laws are deeply flawed, rushed, and damaging, and the evidence is piling up for all to see.”
