The Department of Home Affairs is calling on Australians to surrender their illegal guns or face serious criminal penalties in this year’s National Illicit Firearms Campaign.
Launched by Minister for Home Affairs, Karen Andrews, the Department has partnered with Crime Stoppers Australia on the three-month Campaign.
Ms Andrews said the Campaign would see a range of community engagement and promotional events across the country to encourage people to share what they knew about illegal guns and to safely surrender any they may have in their possession.
“Illegal guns are more likely to be used in crime, more likely to be defective or insecurely stored and more likely to be involved in accidents,” she said.
“There is no excuse – indeed no legitimate reason – for anyone in Australia to have an illicit firearm.
“Our message today is simple – if you have an illicit firearm, do the right thing; do the right thing by your friends, family, and community; do the right thing by yourself – hand it in.”
Ms Andrews said people could surrender illicit firearms without penalty, however, “the alternative is a knock on your door from the police and the potential for serious criminal penalties, including imprisonment”.
Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Jason Wood said the Campaign would target illegal gun owners by encouraging families, friends and anybody else who may have information to speak up and share what they knew with Crime Stoppers “before it’s too late”.
“You may think you know a person well, but owners of illegal guns have not been subject to background checks and may not be on the radar of police,” Mr Wood said.
“This year’s National Illicit Firearms Campaign is part of an increased push to encourage owners of illegal, unregistered and unwanted firearms, parts and accessories to hand them in to be registered or destroyed.”
He said that with more than 260,000 unregistered guns estimated to be in circulation in Australia, it was important for the community to step up and share any information about illegal guns.
Further information on surrendering a gun in each State or Territory can be accessed at this PS News link.
