The Adler shotgun and firearm legislation has been in the spotlight all day. For the law abiding firearm owner there was nothing to celebrate as we are tossed around as political pawns.
Tonight the ABC gave Police Minister Troy Grants pragmatic look at theAdler shotgun. In what seems likethe only sense uttered today.
The classification of the Adler is currently under review because it has a capacity of more than five cartridges.
Mr Grant, who is also the Deputy Premier, will ask his Cabinet colleagues to endorse a plan to move the rapid-fire lever-action shotgun from category A to category B.
Placing the Adler in category B would ensure that gun users wanting to import the firearm could do so, provided it was for a specific purpose like shooting feral pigs.
Anti-gun lobbyists argue it should be moved into the more restrictive C or D categories, alongside semi-automatic weapons.
In a statement, Mr Grant told the ABC he had been working with his Federal National Party colleagues to finalise the plan, which calls for both five and seven-shot Adlers to be moved into category B.
“Throw the book at criminals and anyone dealing in illegal firearms, but get off the backs of hard-working decent farmers and sport and recreational shooters.”
Leyonhjelm ‘deceived’ by the Coalition
If the NSW Cabinet approves his plan but other states and territory ministers do not, the Federal Government will not be in a position to lift the ban.
That would infuriate the NSW senator David Leyonhjelm, who todayaccused the Federal Government of backing out on a previous written agreementto trade his vote on earlier legislation for an end to the prohibition on imports.
He told reporters at Parliament House he had been “deceived” by the Coalition, citing an agreement he had reached with Abbott government minister Michael Keenan and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in which the ban would be lifted in exchange for his vote on legislation.
But he also said he would support moving the Adler into category B.
“I think the people who I represent as licensed firearm owners would consider that a reasonable outcome.”
The ABC understands that the NSW Government will finalise its position at Cabinet this Thursday, ahead of a meeting of police and justice ministers the following day in Melbourne, where the issue is expected to be discussed.
Mr Grant’s proposal is also supported by Federal Liberal MP Ian Goodenough, who said the temporary ban should be lifted once the states have agreed on a suitable classification.
“I think it takes time because we have got six different state and territory police ministers of these jurisdictions reaching a common view,” he said.
“It probably needs to be lifted in a measured way to coincide with agreement on the categorisation on the shotgun.”
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