New Firearm Prohibition Order laws to further enhance community safety

• Queensland Parliament passes new Firearm Prohibition Order laws
• A Firearm Prohibition Order prohibits a high-risk individual from possessing, using or acquiring a firearm
• Police empowered to conduct searches of the high-risk individual, their vehicle or residence to ensure compliance with the Firearm Prohibition Order

The Queensland Parliament has passed new laws restricting high-risk individuals from access to a firearm.

The laws implement a Firearm Prohibition Order regime in Queensland and empower police with the ability to carry out searches of high-risk individuals, their vehicles and place of residence to ensure compliance with the Order.

A Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) prohibits a high-risk individual subject to the order from possessing, using, or acquiring a firearm or firearm related item.

As indicated during the Parliamentary Debate, examples of high-risk individual include terrorists, Organised Crime participants, and high-risk DFV perpetrators.

The aim is to further support community safety.

In addition, the new laws introduce a new verification process for purchasing small arms ammunition.

The legislation introduces a safeguard in relation to the sale of small arms ammunition by amending the Explosives Act to introduce a new offence which requires sellers to engage in a new verification process to ensure a buyer of small arms ammunition possesses a valid licence or authority to purchase the ammunition.

Again, the objective is to enhance community safety.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Police and Community Safety, Mark Ryan:

“The only people who will be impacted by these reforms are those who pose a danger to the community.

“Law abiding weapons licence holders will not be impacted in any way.

“These reforms are focussed on those people who don’t possess a weapons licence and are manifestly unfit to have such a licence.

“The government makes no excuses for focussing on those people who wish to cause harm in the community.”

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