Licensed firearm holders should not be public knowledge, say Parliament committee members
Published:Thursday | May 5, 2022 | 8:41 PM
Members of a joint select committee reviewing the Firearms (Prohibition, Restriction and Regulation) Act 2022, today shot down a recommendation for the Firearm Licensing Authority to make accessible to the public the names of licensed firearm holders in their communities.
A submission by one Oshane Wright said the “public, upon request in writing, should be given access to the list of persons in their immediate surroundings who are licenced firearm holders”.
Responding to the request, Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Marlene Malahoo Forte, cautioned that persons may be targeted for their firearms if the information is revealed to the public.
The legal and constitutional affairs minister said she would not give the green light to disclose the names of licensed firearm holders.
“We have too many examples of persons being targeted for the stealing of their firearms,” she noted.
Committee chairman Dr Horace Chang was blunt, saying the proposal could not be supported by Parliament.
In a terse comment, Senator Donna Scott Mottley said there was no merit in the proposal. “I dismiss it like that because it poses a danger to people rather than enhancing the security of the public” she said.
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