Media Release

25 October 2017: KAP Federal Leader and Member for Kennedy, Hon Bob Katter MP, spoke in Parliament today strongly opposing the Criminal Code Amendment (Firearms Trafficking) Bill 2017 which will enforce a five year minimum mandatory sentence for firearms offences.

Mr Katter directly addressed the LNP Minister for Justice in a fiery debate in Parliament.

“If he was serious about illegal firearms he would be putting money into screening international mail and shipping containers.

“In 2012-13 Customs screened only 25% of all mail and seized 67,123 prohibited imports. On these figures, that means almost 300,000 illegal items come through the mail every year. With shipping containers, Customs and Border Protection only check 0.22%!

“Prior to 2008-09 border agencies screened ALL incoming international mail. Since then, each agency has “sought to encourage voluntary compliance by educating the public about quarantine and customs requirements. However, neither agency is able to demonstrate the effectiveness of those strategies.” (Australian National Audit Office, Auditor General Report into Screening International Mail, Report 42. 2013-14).

“It is very interesting to listen to the Shadow Minister say that this Minister has defied and treated with contempt every one of the judicial representatives in this country.

“I can tell you that, from my side, every one of the people involved in firearms in this country is treated similarly. So he has very cleverly managed to antagonise all whom he accuses as being of the ‘right wing and the left wing’.

“He has managed to get both the ‘left wing and right wing’ in bed and to have no support whatsoever for his extremist persecution of people associated with these industries,” Mr Katter said.

Mr Katter spoke strongly on his opposition to mandatory sentencing and the unintended consequences for legal firearm owners – who because of a small oversight, could find themselves in jail for 5 years.

“I belonged to a government which is described as the most right-wing government the country has ever seen (Qld Bjelke-Petersen government). But in my 20 years in that Parliament, not once did legislation go through which reversed the onus of proof, or any mandatory sentencing. Not once!

“We might be bushwhackers or rednecks or whatever you want to call us. But we do know elementary justice and fairness when we see it.

Mr Katter gave an example of a constituent in his electorate which could be caught up with this legislation.

“This is what the Minister wants to do—and I have the classic case. A bloke had been away on holidays overseas with his wife for two months. He came home, got the mail and found out that his gun license was overdue and had been automatically terminated.

“So he was holding guns illegally. Now, under this Minister, he would do five years in jail. He's president of the Rotary club. He's president of the local golf club. He has been very active in supporting the local rugby league. He is, in fact, the town's leading citizen.

“What he was subjected to by the Minister was six police, wearing bullet-proof vests and with automatic weapons, surrounding his house. This is the leading citizen in the town.

“This is what you want to subject these people to through legislation,” Mr Katter said.

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