Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Australia Announces Illegal-Gun Amnesty

posted by n1 on Monday June 19 2017, @04:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the up-in-arms dept.

MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for TheMightyBuzzard

Australia has announced national gun amnesty, allowing people to hand in illegal or unregistered firearms to authorities. The move is aimed at curbing growing numbers of illegal weapons and comes amid an increased terrorist threat.

[...] The program starts on July 1 and within three months – until September 30 – anyone who possesses an unwanted or unregistered firearm, or a firearm-related item such as ammunition, can legally dispose of or register their firearm at "approved drop-off points in each State and Territory", without fear of being prosecuted, Justice Minister said.

Outside the amnesty period, however, those who are caught with illegal guns could face a fine of up to AU$280,000 (US$212,000), up to 14 years in prison and a criminal record.

“My expectation is it will probably not be the case that we will have hardened criminals who have made a big effort to get a hold on illegal guns would necessarily hand them in. The purpose is to reduce the number of unregistered and illicit firearms in the community,” Keenan said, as cited by AAP.

[...] Earlier this month, the authorities announced plans to build its first prison solely for militants with extreme views to prevent the radicalization of other inmates.

Source: RT

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Australia Announces Illegal-Gun Amnesty | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 112 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by hemocyanin on Monday June 19 2017, @07:12AM (5 children)

    by hemocyanin (186) on Monday June 19 2017, @07:12AM (#527787) Journal

    http://www.mintpressnews.com/the-facts-that-neither-side-wants-to-admit-about-gun-control/207152/ [mintpressnews.com]

    The National Rifle Association (NRA) would have you believe that guns stop murders. The gun control lobby would have you believe that gun control reduces murders. They are both wrong. Gun bans have always had the same effect once implemented: none. They do not create a (sustained) period of increased murders, nor do they reduce the rate of homicides. The gun control crowd is currently stomping their feet and screaming “No, it reduces violence! I’ve seen the statistics.” What you probably saw were studies that point to reduced instances of “gun murders,” not murder.

    ...

    United Kingdom: The UK enacted its handgun ban in 1996. From 1990 until the ban was enacted, the homicide rate fluctuated between 10.9 and 13 homicides per million. After the ban was enacted, homicides trended up until they reached a peak of 18.0 in 2003. Since 2003, which incidentally was about the time the British government flooded the country with 20,000 more cops, the homicide rate has fallen to 11.1 in 2010. In other words, the 15-year experiment in a handgun ban has achieved absolutely nothing.

    Ireland: Ireland banned firearms in 1972. Ireland’s homicide rate was fairly static going all the way back to 1945. In that period, it fluctuated between 0.1 and 0.6 per 100,000 people. Immediately after the ban, the murder rate shot up to 1.6 per 100,000 people in 1975. It then dropped back down to 0.4. It has trended up, reaching 1.4 in 2007.

    Australia: Australia enacted its gun ban in 1996. Murders have basically run flat, seeing only a small spike after the ban and then returning almost immediately to preban numbers. It is currently trending down, but is within the fluctuations exhibited in other nations.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Insightful=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 2) by J_Darnley on Monday June 19 2017, @11:12AM (2 children)

    by J_Darnley (5679) on Monday June 19 2017, @11:12AM (#527849)

    Ah the UK. The country where throwing your pint at the charging islamist radical is supposed to stop them.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 19 2017, @11:55AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday June 19 2017, @11:55AM (#527858)

      It might?

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Monday June 19 2017, @01:39PM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Monday June 19 2017, @01:39PM (#527894) Journal

      The country where throwing your pint at the charging islamist radical is supposed to stop them.

      Never ever. If you throw your pint of beer at them, the terrorist have won!
      I kid you not, the pure-at-heart Englishman will always take the pint of beer with him, as an act of defiance against terrorism [businessinsider.com]

      --
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford

  • (Score: 1) by j-beda on Monday June 19 2017, @03:12PM (1 child)

    by j-beda (6342) on Monday June 19 2017, @03:12PM (#527952) Homepage

    Australia does seem to have had a pretty big drop in large scale/spree shootings however.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_massacres_in_Australia [wikipedia.org]

    • (Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Tuesday June 20 2017, @02:31AM

      by hemocyanin (186) on Tuesday June 20 2017, @02:31AM (#528296) Journal

      Don't worry. Everyone is figuring out that cars and trucks are dangerous.