Nationals Member for the South West, Louise Kingston has demanded the Cook Labor Government give equal treatment to the 32,234 petitioners standing against the Firearms Bill 2024.
“The Cook Labor Government is the most petitioned WA Government in history, a title they hold for their continued contempt for the people of Western Australia,” Mrs Kingston said.
“More than 32,000 West Australians have signed the petition to support law-abiding firearm owners targeted by this Government. Breaking the previous record.”
“Thank you to those who have stood up for common sense.”
“In 2023 the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act petition resulted in the Act being thrown out, now I demand firearm petitioners be given equal treatment.”
The petition breaks the previous record held by the 2023 Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act petition which garnered 29,714 signatures. The controversial Firearms Bill 2024 is expected to be debated in the Legislative Council following the return from the Uniform Legislation Committee.
“The Firearms Bill 2024 is yet another assault on the private property rights and liberties on West Australians by this Government and an attempt to divert attention from the reality that Labor has no real plan to tackle crime,” Mrs Kingston said.
“The Nationals WA are the only Party to oppose the draconian reforms and stand alongside law-abiding firearm owners.”
WAFCA Spokesman and SSAA WA State President Paul Fitzgerald said the 90,000 licensed firearm owners in WA deserve to be listened to and deserve to be bound by laws that allow them to conduct legal shooting activities in a safe and responsible manner.
“WAFCA wouldn’t need to exist if the Cook Labor Government was genuine in its claimed goals of protecting public safety and adopting the recommendations from the Law Reform Commission into the Firearms Act,” Mr Fitzgerald said,
“Their inaction in addressing the illegal firearm networks that exist across the country and guns being used by criminals is further evidence of the Government wasting resources on gun buybacks instead of directing resources to law enforcement and actually protecting the community.”
“The Government has been given every opportunity to listen and has now been provided with the clearest signal yet.”
