Consultation Paper Proposed amendments to the Firearms Importation Regime Regulation 4F and Schedule 6 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 Page 1 of 34 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ 3 INVITATION FOR COMME NTS ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 4 FIREARMS ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 4 1. DEFINITION OF HANDGUN ................................ ................................ ................................ .......... 4 2. CLASSIFICATION OF MUZ ZLE -LOADING AND PAINTBAL L MARKER HANDGUNS ......................... 4 3. CLASSIFICATION OF REV OLVING RIFLES ................................ ................................ .................... 5 4. BLANK -FIRE FIREARMS ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 5 5. CLARIFICATION OF MEAN ING OF ‘FLARE GUN ’ UNDER DEFINITION OF FIREARM ....................... 6 6. RESTRICTIONS ON .50 BMG FIREARMS ................................ ................................ ...................... 6 MAGAZINES ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........ 7 7. INTERCHANGEABLE MAGAZ INES ................................ ................................ ................................ 7 8. DEFINITION OF FIREARM MAGAZINE ................................ ................................ .......................... 8 PARTS ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 9 9. INTERCHANGEABLE FIREA RMS PARTS ................................ ................................ ........................ 9 10. DEFINITION OF FIREARM PARTS ................................ ................................ ................................ 9 11. DAMAGED OR UNFINISHED FIREARM PARTS , AND SUBCOMPONENTS OF FIREARM PARTS ....... 10 TECHNICAL CHANGES ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 10 12. RELEASE OF CATEGORY C DEALER STOCK FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSE S ........................ 10 13. AMENDMENT TO THE SPECIFIED PERSON TEST – VERTEBRATE PEST CONTR OLLERS .............. 11 14. AMENDMENT TO THE SPECIFIED PURPOSES TEST – RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT .............. 12 ACCESSORIES ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 13 15. PROHIBITED FIREARM ACCESSORIES ................................ ................................ ........................ 13 16. TELESCOPIC AND COLLAP SIBLE STOCKS ................................ ................................ .................. 13 17. DETACHABLE STOCKS ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 14 18. DEFINITION OF FIREARM ACCESSORY ................................ ................................ ...................... 14 19. CONSOLIDATION OF FIRE ARM ACCESSORIES UNDE R PART 2 OF SCHEDULE 6 ......................... 15 20. INTEGRAL SILENCERS ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 16 21. SILENC ERS AND SOUND SUPPRE SSORS ................................ ................................ ..................... 16 SAFETY TESTING ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 17 22. SAFETY TESTING PAINTBALL MARKERS ................................ ................................ ................... 17 23. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS F OR FIREARMS ................................ ................................ ................... 17 AMMUNITION ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 18 24. RESTRICTIONS ON .25 ACP CALIBRE AMMUNITION ................................ ................................ 18 25. ELECTROSHOCK CARTRIDG ES ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 18 POWERHEADS ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 19 26. POWERHEADS ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................... 19 CONDITIONS ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 19 27. REMOVAL OF TERMINOLOG Y ‘AS SOON AS PRACTICAB LE ’ FROM CONDITIONS OF I MPORT ..... 19 28. POWER TO REVOKE OR AM END PERMISSION ................................ ................................ ............ 20 29. CONDITIONS RELATING T O IMPORTATIONS ................................ ................................ .............. 20 SPORTS SHOOTERS ................................ ................................ ................................ ........................ 21 30. NEW ZEALAND SPORTS SHOOTER APPLI CATIONS ................................ ................................ .... 21 31. SPORTS SHOOTER AND INTERNATIONAL SPORTS SHOOTER CERTIFICATION (C ATEGORY C) .. 21 32. MEANING OF A CERTIFIE D SPORTS SHOOTER (C ATEGORY C) ................................ .................. 22 ANNEX 1: ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 23 OUTLINE OF TESTS DESCRIB ED IN THE CUSTOMS (P ROHIBITED IMPORT ) REGULATIONS 1956 . ......... 23 ANNEX 2: ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 26 CUSTOMS (P ROHIBITED IMPORTS ) REGULATIONS 1956, SCHEDULE 6 ARTICLES ............................. 26 Page 2 of 34 INTRODUCTION The Commonwealth Attorney -General’s Department administers the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (the Regulations) as they relate to the importation of firearms, firearm accessories, firearm parts, firearms magazines , ammunition and components of ammunition (Regulation 4F and Schedule 6). A number of amendments to Regulation 4F and Schedule 6 are considered necessary to improve the operation and integrity of the firearms importation regime in Australia . This consultation paper provides an overview of the proposed amendments and the issues they aim to address. Public feedback is soug ht on the practical implications of the proposals in respect of how they improve safeguards for the Australian community, while improving the importation process for legitimate firearm users. Unless otherwise stated, all references to the Regulations are t o Schedule 6 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 . Where definitions are referred to, these definitions can be found in Regulation 4F of the Regulations. All references to ‘the Department’ relate to the Commonwealth Attorney -General’s Dep artment. All references to ‘Customs and Border Protection’ relate to the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. Annex 1 provides an outline of the import tests described in the Regulations and referred to in this paper. Annex 2 compar es the I tem numbers in Part 2, Schedule 6 of the Regulations to Firearm Categories under State/Territory law. The Regulations can be accessed from http://www.comlaw.gov.au/comlaw/management.nsf/lookupindexpagesbyid/IP200400519?O penDocument INVITATION FOR COMMENTS Some of the proposals below include focus questions. These questions reflect the specific feedback we are seeking or questions we would like answered; however, we also welcome comments on any aspect of these proposals . If you would like to comment on this consultation paper , please forward your submission no later than Tu es day 1 March 201 1 to [email protected] or by facsimile to (02) 6141 5463 . Submissions may also be mailed to: Consultation Paper Drugs and Firearms Section Criminal Justice Division Attorney -General’s Department 3-5 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 All submis sions will be treated as public unless the au thor clearly indicates to the contrary. A request made under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 for access to a submission marked confidential will be determined in accordance with that Act. Page 3 of 34 PROPOSED AMENDMENTS Issues an d amendments are in no particular order, but are grouped together by general category. FIREARMS 1. Definition of handgun Issue The Regulations currently do not define a ‘handgun’ and this has the potential to create ambiguity. A review of State and Territory legislation shows three main considerations that are used to define a handgun: the capacity for it to be fired with one hand, the capacity for it to be carried or concealed about the person and the length of the firearm. Propos al It is proposed that the following definition of handgun be inserted into the Regulations: A handgun means a firearm that: a) is reasonably capable of being raised and fired