The state government has announced a reopened gun buyback scheme in which licensed gun dealers will be paid up to $1000 for each firearm surrendered. The buyback scheme will be open until January 17 to allow gun owners to hand in their weapons before the nation’s toughest firearms laws come into effect in March. The new laws aim to restrict the number of property letters a property owner can provide for hunting purposes and will only allow 15 property letters per property, subject to size, location, and the prevalence of pests. Property owners who sell letters will be fined $5000, and the engineers found gun owner homes using publicly available software.
Police Minister Paul Papalia encouraged licensed gun dealers to take advantage of the reopened buyback scheme and hand in their firearms before the new laws come into effect. He stated that almost 40,000 guns were surrendered during a previous voluntary buyback program and expects thousands more to be offloaded by dealers in the coming months. Papalia emphasized that the new gun laws are the strictest in the nation and prioritize public safety above all else. He also encouraged those who did not participate in the previous buyback to consider selling their unneeded firearms to a dealer before the January deadline.
The engineers identified gun owner homes using publicly available software and found that the number of property letters in circulation did not correspond to property size or control of vermin. Currently, eight properties in Western Australia enable close to 15,000 gun licences, which was seen as disproportionate. Under the new laws, the number of property letters will be limited to 15 per property, taking into account factors such as size, location, and the prevalence of pests. Additionally, property owners who sell letters will face a fine of $5000 as part of the stricter regulations.
The state government’s decision to reopen the gun buyback program was aimed at providing licensed gun dealers with the opportunity to surrender their firearms before the new laws take effect. With the deadline set for January 17, the government hopes to see a significant number of guns being handed in by dealers in the coming months. The buyback scheme is part of efforts to enforce stricter gun laws in Western Australia, with a focus on public safety and reducing the number of firearms in circulation. The government has urged those who have not participated in previous buyback programs to consider selling their unneeded firearms to dealers before the deadline.
In conclusion, the state government’s decision to reopen the gun buyback program and offer licensed gun dealers up to $1000 per firearm surrendered is part of a broader effort to implement stricter firearms laws in Western Australia. The upcoming regulations aim to limit the number of property letters a property owner can provide for hunting purposes, with a focus on public safety and reducing the prevalence of firearms in the community. The engineers utilized publicly available software to identify gun owner homes and found that the current system of property letters was disproportionate and in need of reform. The government is encouraging licensed gun dealers to participate in the buyback scheme before the January deadline and hopes to see a significant number of firearms surrendered in the coming months.
