Evidence still lacking in proposed lever-action reclassification

A case has yet to be made for the reclassification of lever-action shotguns following the lack of consensus at the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council in November, with the New South Wales Office of Police confirming this on behalf of NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant.

In a letter of response to a concerned SSAA member, the NSW Office of Police confirmed that no decision regarding lever-action shotguns has been made, stating: “In relation to reclassifications the New South Wales Government has stated that prior to the approval of New South Wales, changes need to be rigorously justified, evidence based, fully costed and the impacts on public safety and existing firearms owners fully considered.”

The letter further pointed out that a case has yet to be made for reclassification, stating: “The Deputy Premier has indicated that the New South Wales Government is not convinced that these criteria have been met at this time.”

The letter comes as Federal Parliament finished sitting for the year, with the confirmation that any decisions will depend on the outcome of a meeting with “various Commissioners of Police and Justice Department Secretaries across all Australian jurisdictions”. This meeting is set to occur in April 2016 as part of the National Justice and Policing Senior Official Group.

Mr Grant, who is also the Police Minister, publically showed his support for law-abiding firearm owners and shooters in early November when he smacked down NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge as an “opportunist” who “exaggerates the narrative”. Mr Grant has also made it clear that licensed firearm owners should not be the focus of further restrictions, identifying that the NSW “problem in relation to firearms and crime is not registered firearms, it is an illegal firearms, illegal guns issue”.

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