Australians Turn in 57,000 Guns in Landmark National Amnesty

by Guest Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:40 pm

In 1996, a man walked into a tourist resort in Tasmania, Australia, and shot 35 people dead, wounding 23 others. Known as the Port Arthur Massacre, it was the deadliest mass shooting in Australian history and forever changed the country’s relationship with guns, leading to laws that heavily restricted their purchase and ownership. On Thursday, Australian authorities announced that 57,000 firearms were turned in last year during the country’s first guns amnesty since the 1996 massacre, which allowed people to hand in illegal, unregistered firearms without fear of prosecution. The guns were then either destroyed or properly registered. “Taking these unregistered firearms off the streets means they will not fall into the hands of criminals, who might use them to endanger the lives of innocent Australians,” said Law Enforcement Minister Angus Taylor. Among the returned firearms were 2,500 automatic weapons, 2,900 handguns, and one rocket launcher.

READ IT AT BBC NEWS

by Maddog Thu Mar 01, 2018 5:46 pm

57,000?

My mom has that many. Wink

by 'Wolfie Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:23 am

Over 80% of those firearms were not banned or prohibited weapons, but were unregistered, unwanted or neglected weapons...

Often some families will have inherited guns when someone has died, or they may have some old forgotten or neglected guns out in the garage or shed, and they haven't bothered to re-register them..

This way, they can hand them in without copping any fines during the "amnesty" period, and maybe even make a little pocket money on the side. No doubt re-registering 75--80% of the weapons and putting them back onto the legal market will help finance these schemes as well..

What I have found amusing in the past is where the newspapers and television stations have shown images of dozens upon dozens of weapons that have been handed in and displayed by the police -- and yet half the weapons there were things like bolt-action rifles, double-barrel shotguns, compound bows, spearguns and Bowie knives (all quite legal..).

Obviously added into the mix for added dramatic effect.. Australians Turn in 57,000 Guns in Landmark National Amnesty 3755771736

Australians Turn in 57,000 Guns in Landmark National Amnesty 3755771736

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Australians Turn in 57,000 Guns in Landmark National Amnesty

Australians Turn in 57,000 Guns in Landmark National Amnesty

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