Australia's gun ownership levels return

14 Jan 2013, 7:50 pm   -   Source: SBS Staff

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A US gun control panel is set to deliver its recommendations on Tuesday, with contributions from an Australian gun control expert. Professor Philip Alpers says despite Australia’s success story on gun ownership, levels have returned to those before the Port Arthur massacre.

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Australia’s leading gun control expert is in Baltimore, Maryland, to contribute recommendations on how the US can control gun violence in the wake of the Newtown school massacre.

Speaking from the Summit on Reducing Gun Violence in America, Professor Philip Alpers, from Sydney University’s School of Public Health, says the US is interested in Australia’s success story on gun control, but he remains realistic about what will follow.

“Nobody is mad enough to say that what we did in Australia can be done in the United States,” Professor Alpers told SBS.

“Their [mistaken] belief [is] that the more guns you have, the safer you are. If that was the case then America would be the safest nation on earth.”

The conference will feed in to US vice president Joe Biden’s panel for gun control, which will deliver its recommendations tomorrow.

New research suggests that Australians have steadily restocked the firearms destroyed in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, with the number of firearms in the community now estimated at 3.2 million.

After Port Arthur, Prime Minister John Howard pushed through tough national controls, banning semi-automatic rifles and pump-action shotguns and introducing more stringent licensing.

At that time, more than a million guns were sent to the smelter.

“People talk about the 650,000 guns that were destroyed in the Port Arthur federal long gun buyback, that’s only half the story,” Professor Alpers said.

“In fact, our research shows that a huge number of Australia gun owners gave up their guns for no compensation at all – remember there were 38 [state-based] gun amnesties since these mass shooting began.

“Over the last 10 years, the importation of fire arms has built up again, and now I know from customs figures that we have already replaced a million guns in Australia."

Professor Alpers said that nearly 90 per cent of Australia's gun deaths had nothing to do with mass shootings, but rather involved domestic homicides and suicides.

An Australian Institute of Criminology homicide study shows gun murders have steadily declined from the late 1980s and are now far outnumbered by murders with knives.

Watch the interview with Professor Philip Alpers

Gun Control , Andy Park SBS

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This is an invasion of American ideals

Sam Whittington - from Melbourne, 1 month

As someone who has spent much time in America, I can honestly say that this gun control probably will not pass. They have a different way of thinking there, and having guns is very important to them. I don't blame them as it is in the constitution of the U.S

Guns guns guns

oncewas - from bribie island, 4 months ago

Does this mean that I can replace the rifle that little Johnny Howard took from me, so I am able to do my bit when the invading hordes descend upon us? I don't think that our undermanned and under equipped and under financed defence forces can do it on their lonesome.

gun control does not work

Rex's - from Seattle, 4 months ago

of course gun murders are down! they smelted everyone's guns so there is no guns. BUT overall violent crime has risen. people who are law abiding should have the right to defend themself. look at Switzerland . the government GIVES Cuvier assault rifles and its one if the safest countries in the world gun murder wise and violent crime.

Enough snippets where can I find the actual study published

Mark - from Brisbane, 4 months ago

Any ideas people? Every report I've seen on this fails to cite references to the study and uses loose and ambiguous wording. For example the number of guns are up but is this relative to population growth? Do the numbers include the fact that at least some state police departments have upgraded from snub nosed Smith & Wessons 38's to Glocks...do they include military purchases...what types of guns are we talking about etc etc etc. Just want the facts.

Typical feel-good anti gun rant.

Garry - from Queanbeyan, 4 months ago

According to the Australian Institute of Criminology's Homicide report, the percentage of murders committed with firearms has actually been declining steadily since 1969, long before Howards gun laws. If gun numbers are back up to the same levels as before the Port Arthur massacre, yet the firearm homicide rate is at record lows, then wouldn't this suggest that other factors are at play and the laws rushed in by Howard actually achieved little to no real effect?

Paranoia yet again over a non-problem

Simon Mitchell - from Melbourne, 4 months ago

It's irrelevant. You are in effect complaining about people actually obeying the law. Honest citizens enjoying sporting shooting is simply not a threat to your safety. End of story. You are incredibly unlikely to ever be shot at in this Country. In all probability, you will be killed in your car driving TO a firearms range - not with a firearm once you get there. That is the plain, simple fact.

The Gun buy back did not reduce the Firarm Homcide Rate!

John - from Castle Hill, 4 months ago

Don Weatherburn Director of NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics: Research since the gun buyback has shown that more than 90 per cent of homicide cases involve an unregistered weapon and the alleged offender was not licensed to own a gun. It's time to look beyond further restrictions on the level of gun ownership if we want to tackle firearm crime. (read from source) http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/study-no-excuse-to-shoot-down-the-law/2006/10/25/1161749188302.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Current gun laws are unfair.

Trent. - from Blue Mts NSW, 4 months ago

All gun control does is deprive sane and honest folk of a much loved hobby and pastime. The 'psychcos' and brainless idiots amongst us will always be able to aquire firearms by fair means or foul no matter what laws be imposed on the general population.

OH really?

ian - from bunyan, 4 months ago

Phillip Alpers is "Australian gun control expert"? Besides the 2 members of the NCGC and a few Greens, who is his competition for that title? How many credible journals has he had peer reviewed articles published in? Oh my SBS, you should fix yourself. Your biased agenda is showing.

More people, more guns

Glen Brown - from Perth, 4 months ago

Australia's population in 1996 was 17,892,423 (1996 Census), and in 2011 it was 21,727,158 (2011 Census). My point? It is unsurprising that with more people you get more gun ownership.

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