In the aftermath of the tragic events at Bondi, I have received many calls and messages from our Bass community and from right around Tasmania asking what our state’s response should be to the firearms law proposals coming from Canberra.

This has been a deeply distressing time for Australians. We all feel the weight of what occurred. It is natural that people want to ensure our laws are strong, fair and effective.

My position as your elected Member of Parliament is clear. Tasmania’s focus must instead remain focused on keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals, without unfairly disadvantaging responsible, law-abiding firearms owners. By that I mean recreational hunters, farmers and sporting shooters who comply with the law and contribute positively to our community.

Any changes to firearms laws must be evidence-based, workable in practice and genuinely directed at improving public safety. Changes should not disadvantage legitimate firearm users.

Firearms laws can always be reviewed and refined. However, my strong view is that real reform should be targeted at the real risks. Broad regulatory changes that primarily affect licensed owners will not, on their own, address the core problem of illegal, stolen and unregistered firearms circulating in the community as a result of criminal activity and organised gangs.

If we are serious about reducing harm, our attention must increasingly turn to those illegal weapons, not simply to those already complying with the law.

Tasmania’s publicly stated position in the national context has been that any reform must be consultative, proportionate and fair. That is the right approach. Rushed, poorly targeted measures risk penalising legitimate firearm users without materially improving community safety.

We are carefully considering the federal proposals, but we are not simply agreeing to them. Minister Ellis and the Cabinet have emphasised a cautious and consultative process to ensure that any reforms are tailored to Tasmania’s needs and grounded in evidence.

Stopping terrorists and criminals must be the priority. That means improving intelligence coordination, accelerating delivery of the National Firearms Register and ensuring our enforcement efforts are focused where the risk is greatest.

Update: Firearms Consultative Committee Established

Since this was first written, the Tasmanian Government has taken a further step consistent with the approach outlined above.

Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management Felix Ellis has appointed a new Firearms Consultative Committee to provide structured advice on firearms regulation and public safety.

The Committee brings together a broad range of stakeholders including TasFarmers, the Police Association, the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia, Medics for Gun Control, a firearms dealer, a recreational hunter and community representatives.

This is exactly the kind of calm, consultative and evidence-based process that should guide any reform. It ensures that decisions are informed by those with practical experience, community insight and frontline knowledge.

Importantly, Tasmania’s highest priority remains accelerating delivery of the National Firearms Register to strengthen intelligence sharing between jurisdictions and keep firearms out of the wrong hands.

Tasmanians have always come together in times of adversity. We can continue to do so now with a balanced approach that is firm on crime, fair to legitimate owners and focused squarely on improving public safety.

I welcome your views. Please feel free to comment below or contact me directly.

Michael