Parents of police killed in Wieambilla urge gun buyback as Queensland rejects federal scheme | Gun control
The parents of a police officer killed in a 2022 ambush in western Queensland have backed the federal government’s proposed gun buyback plan following the Bondi beach terror attack.
The state LNP government decided not to support the buyback program at a lengthy cabinet meeting on Monday.
Police officers Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold and civilian Alan Dare were shot dead by mentally delusional conspiracy theorists at a remote property near Wieambilla in 2022.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called on states to jointly fund and help manage a gun buyback scheme similar to the 1996-97 buyback implemented after the Port Arthur massacre. Tasmania and the Northern Territory have already announced they will not participate.
Speaking on behalf of both officers’ families, Rachel’s mother, Judy McCrow, called for gun reform.
“We fully support the federal government’s plan to tighten gun laws and promote a national gun buyback plan,” he said.
“A recent research report by the Australia Institute found that legal gun theft is now the main source of illegal guns in Australia.”
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A criminal investigation into the Wieambilla attacks has revealed shortcomings in Australia’s gun licensing registration schemes and recommended the state consider introducing mandatory mental health assessments for gun license applicants. In 2023, the national cabinet signed a national firearms register to be developed by 2028.
McCrow called for an end to political “debates.”
“As highlighted by both the Bondi and Wieambilla tragedies, even previously law-abiding gun owners can change for the worse.”
State parties clashed over the issue on Tuesday, with Labor leader Steven Miles accusing premier David Crisafulli of dodging media questions and undermining community safety.
The state cabinet met for four-and-a-half hours on Monday to consider legislation drafted by police minister Dan Purdie and attorney-general Deb Frecklington. The cabinet has committed to introducing hate and gun control legislation on February 10, the first day of parliament, a government spokesman said on Monday.
Prime Minister David Crisafulli confirmed on Wednesday that the state would not support the buyback plan.
“Our response will focus on the heart of the problem, which is anti-Semitism, hatred and weapons being in the hands of terrorists and criminals,” Crisafulli said:
“Queensland will not go down the gun buyback route because it is not tackling antisemitism and hatred and is not focused on keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and criminals.”
Although the government has promised to present the law in the first week of the parliament, which will start on February 10, the details of the law remain secret. Miles said the government had backed away from the buyback and effectively “vetoed or neutralized” the national plan.
He said Queensland “will become a haven for dangerous weapons and dangerous people and that will make Queensland a more dangerous place”.
“David Crisafulli likes to say he’s tough on crime, but you can’t be tough on crime while being soft on guns. These steps may show that these people and these guns are being drawn into Queensland,” Miles said.
The NSW parliament passed a comprehensive anti-terrorism bill on Christmas Eve. According to the legislation, only Australian citizens can hold a firearms licence, and there is usually a limit of owning only four guns. At the same time Allows police to ban protests after terror incident.
The lower house of the federal parliament passed its own gun reform bill on Tuesday over opposition from the Coalition. It is expected to pass the Senate with the support of the Greens.
