REVIEW OF THE FIREARMS ACT 1973 (WA) PROJECT 105 FINAL REPORT OCTOBER 2016 THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA COMMISSIONERS CHAIRMAN: Dr D Cox BSc (Hons), PhD (UWA), LLB (Hons) (Murd) MEMBERS: Dr A Zimmermann LLB, LLM (PUC-Rio), PhD (Monash) Ms F Seaward BComm, LLB (Hons) (UWA) © Government of Western Australia ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Law Reform Commission of Western Australia Level 23 David Malcolm Justice Centre 28 Barrack Street Perth WA 6000 Australia Telephone: +61 8 9264 1340 Facsimile: +61 8 9264 6114 ISBN: 978-1-74035-021-1 Printed by Quality Press, Western Australia Portions of text in this Final Report may be reproduced with due acknowledgement. Except for the purposes of research – and subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth) – all other forms of graphic or textual reproduction or transmission by any means requires the written permission of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia. 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TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 7 ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................................................................................................ 8 FOREWORD ............................................................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER ONE: THE COMMISSION’S APPROACH TO REFORMING FIREARMS LAW ..........................................11 1.1 Terms of Reference ......................................................................................................................................11 1.1.1 Background to Reference .............................................................................................................11 1.1.2 Scope of Reference .......................................................................................................................11 1.2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................11 1.2.1 Pre-Discussion Paper .....................................................................................................................11 1.2.2 Post-Discussion Paper ...................................................................................................................12 1.2.3 About this Report .........................................................................................................................12 1.2.4 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................12 1.3 Key themes for reform .................................................................................................................................12 CHAPTER TWO: PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE .........................................................................................................14 2.1 Overall structure of the Legislation ............................................................................................................14 2.2 The purpose of the Legislation ...................................................................................................................14 2.3 Regulation 3BA of the Firearms Regulations .............................................................................................15 2.4 Improvement to wording in section 30B ....................................................................................................15 CHAPTER THREE: DEFINITION OF FIREARMS, FIREARM PARTS AND EXCLUSIONS........................................... 16 3.1 The current definition of firearms ..............................................................................................................16 3.2 Replace the word ‘includes’ with the word ‘means’..................................................................................16 3.3 Unintended items captured by the current definition ..............................................................................16 3.4 Firearms Act and Weapons Act ...................................................................................................................17 3.5 Major firearm parts ......................................................................................................................................18 3.5.1 Current position ............................................................................................................................18 3.5.2 Firearm parts in the definition of firearm ...................................................................................18 3.5.3 Should the definition of firearm include all major firearm parts? ............................................19 3.5.4 Should the definition of firearm include any specific firearm part? .........................................19 3.5.5 Major firearm parts outside the definition of firearm ...............................................................19 3.5.6 The application of a definition of major firearm parts ............................................................. 20 3.5.7 The recommended definition of a major firearm part ............................................................. 22 3.6 The sale of firearm parts, accessories and prohibition on alterations .................................................... 24 3.7 The use of silencers ..................................................................................................................................... 25 3.8 The definition of antique firearms ............................................................................................................ 26 3.9 The extent to which antique firearms should be excluded from the firearms administration regime .......................................................................................................................................................... 27 3.10 Working replicas of antique firearms ........................................................................................................ 28 3.11 Captive bolts ................................................................................................................................................ 28 3.12 Spud guns, industrial tools and promotional type implements .............................................................. 29 3.13 Air pistols and rifles .................................................................................................................................... 30 3.14 Changes in firearms technology ................................................................................................................ 30 LRCWA Project 105 l Review of the Firearms Act – Final Report 1 CHAPTER FOUR: INOPERABLE AND IMITATION FIREARMS ................................................................................ 31 4.1 Inoperable and imitation firearms....................................................................................................................31 4.1.1 Permanently inoperable ...............................................................................................................31 4.1.2 Temporarily inoperable ................................................................................................................31 CHAPTER FIVE: AMMUNITION ............................................................................................................................... 32 5.1 Definition of ammunition .......................................................................................................................... 32 5.2 Ammunition sales ....................................................................................................................................... 33 5.3 Storage and carriage of ammunition ........................................................................................................ 33 CHAPTER SIX: THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND LICENSING SYSTEM ............................................................... 34 6.1 The new Licensing and Registry system .................................................................................................... 34 6.2 The application process .............................................................................................................................. 34 6.2.1 Administering applications ......................................................................................................... 34 6.2.2 Fees ............................................................................................................................................... 36 6.2.3 Serviceability certificates ............................................................................................................. 36 6.3 Alternative card systems ............................................................................................................................. 39 6.4 Prescribed forms .......................................................................................................................................... 40 6.5 Delegations.................................................................................................................................................. 40 6.6 Collection of firearm after