The Federal Government’s hastily legislated gun buyback scheme has hit a massive roadblock and it seems this disarmament proposal by Prime Minister Albanese may never get off the ground.
Two states and the Northern Territory have refused to comply with Labor’s attempt at disarmament and it seems this will not change until Queensland, Tasmania and the Territory agree to split the cost of the buyback 50-50 with the Federal Government.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli was adamant the real issue surrounding the Bondi massacre was not guns but a lapse of security intelligence by ASIO.
“Our focus remains on addressing anti-semitism and hate, and keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and criminals,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“Our response is going to focus on the heart of the issue; anti-semitism, hate and guns in the hands of terrorists and criminals.”
Cairns News yesterday asked the PM’s office what action Mr Albanese would take to get around the stalemate.
It appears there is not much the Labor government can do to implement their scheme unless the errant states and Territory come onboard.
This was the government response:
“At Bondi, the terrorists had hate in their hearts and guns in their hands. Our laws that have passed the parliament deals with both – cracking down on hate speech and taking sensible action on firearms.
“Various state and territory positions on the sensible gun reforms are a matter for the states and territories to explain.”
There is no doubt the states and Territory have made their positions very clear. The gun buyback is doomed.
After Port Arthur massacre in 1996, then PM John Howard threatened to withhold Commonwealth funding for the Queensland National Party government which refused to take part in a national gun buyback.
Premier Rob Borbidge eventually gave in and the destruction of nearly 700,000 firearms began, many calling it a national tragedy which achieved nothing as far as the prevention gun violence, but cost taxpayers $304m.
