Firearms amnesty to continue

The current firearms amnesty in Victoria will continue for another two years, until 26 February 2001.

Approximately 5,000 illegally held firearms have been brought back into the licensing system since the current amnesty was launched in August 1998.

Under the terms of the amnesty any offences under the Firearms Act 1996 will not apply to people who possess or carry unlawfully held firearms under certain conditions.

The amnesty applies to:

• any person who surrenders an unlawfully held firearm (owner unlicensed or firearm unregistered) at a police station;
• any person who sells an unlawfully held firearm (owner unlicensed or firearm unregistered) to a licensed firearms dealer;
• a licensed firearms owner, if they leave an unregistered firearm with a licensed firearms dealer or at a police station while they apply to register the firearm; and
• an unlicensed firearms owner, if the owner leaves a firearm with a licensed firearms dealer or at a police station while they apply for an appropriate Victorian firearms licence with a view to retaining the firearm if the licence application is successful.

No person will be able to claim protection from prosecution under the amnesty unless they are actively taking steps to legalise their situation.

All other actions that were offences under the Firearms Act that were not directly related to the options provided under the amnesty would continue to be offences. Use of unlawfully held firearms continues to be an offence in any circumstances.

Victoria Police has identified a particular problem with people who at some stage in the past may have held a firearms licence, but have since allowed their licence to expire, even though they may still have firearms in their possession.

All firearms, from the most basic low-powered airguns to the more high-powered types of rifles, handguns and shotguns, are subject to firearms licensing and registration requirements in Victoria. Owners of airguns are subject to the same requirements as all other firearms owners.

(News Release, Office of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, 26 February 1999)