On 28 April 1996, a man armed with two military-style semi-automatic rifles shot dead 35 people wounded 18 others in and around the historic area known as Port Arthur in Tasmania.
In response to the mass killing, Australia’s then Prime Minister, John Howard, gained bi-partisan support from all nine state, territory and Commonwealth governments to introduce sweeping changes to Australia’s gun laws.
The reforms were contained in a document known as the 1996 National Firearms Agreement (NFA). The Agreement included a new: licensing and registration system, a ban on high powered firearms. A gun buyback and uniform, strict gun storage requirements, along with other major reforms.
It is 22 years since the 1996 NFA was put in place. A lot has changed. After decades of political pressure from a growing NRA-style gun lobby here in Australia, our gun laws are in decline.
This gun lobby has affiliations with the NRA, close ties with government, deep pockets, has its own lobbyist and is making large donations to political parties in order to influence and soften laws around gun ownership.
Samantha Lee, President of Gun Control Australia states,
“The gun industry in Australia is no different to the coal or tobacco industry. Their aim is to sell as many guns as possible and make as much money as possible. One way to sell more guns is to weaken the laws that regulate them.“
Now is not the time to be complacent. We need to act.
Here's how you can help
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Help us expose the gun lobby and its workings. GCA needs your help to fund research by one of Australia's most influential think tanks - The Australia Institute - into the workings of the gun lobby. We want to expose the gun lobby in Australia and identify the economic gains to the gun industry through the weakening of Australia's gun laws. But we need your help. GCA is run by volunteers and relies on small donations from individuals. We receive no government funding. We are asking for your help to fund this much needed research. Make a Donation to GCA.
- GCA has collated financial disclosure figures from state and commonwealth Electoral Commission’s to reveal the gun lobby has donated over 1 million dollars to political parties and their entities for the period 2015 to 2018. Political donations are rarely made without the donor wanting something in return. In the case of the gun lobby, the return is weaker gun laws. GCA is calling for a complete ban on political donations from the gun industry which like tobacco, alcohol, mining and gambling industries all share the consequences of public health detriment. You can help by sending this pro forma email to your Local MP calling for a ban on gun industry political donations.
Track the erosion of Australia's Gun Laws.
DON'T LET THE GUN LOBBY ERODE OUR GUN LAWS.
WE NEED YOUR HELP.
- Help us expose the gun lobby and its workings. GCA needs your help to fund research by one of Australia's most influential think tanks - The Australia Institute - into the workings of the gun lobby. We want to expose the gun lobby in Australia and identify the economic gains to the gun industry through the weakening of Australia's gun laws. But we need your help. GCA is run by volunteers and relies on small donations from individuals. We receive no government funding. We are asking for your help to fund this much needed research. Make a Donation to GCA.
- GCA has collated financial disclosure figures from state and commonwealth Electoral Commission’s to reveal the gun lobby has donated over 1 million dollars to political parties and their entities for the period 2015 to 2018. Political donations are rarely made without the donor wanting something in return. In the case of the gun lobby, the return is weaker gun laws. GCA is calling for a complete ban on political donations from the gun industry which like tobacco, alcohol, mining and gambling industries all share the consequences of public health detriment. You can help by sending this pro forma email to your Local MP calling for a ban on gun industry political donations.
Take action against the erosion of Australia's gun laws before it leads to more gun deaths.