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Victoria Police - 8 February 2006
OPEN LETTER TO ANTIQUE HANDGUN COLLECTORS
Changes for Antique Handgun Collectors
I write to alert you to important changes to the Firearms Act 1996 ('Act') that will affect all antique handgun collectors. These changes relate to the registration and storage requiremnets for antique collectors and are detailed below. Their introduction will be supported by a final extension of the existing amnesties relating to the current storage and registration requirements for antique handgun collectors.
Background
The Firearms (Trafficking and Handgun Control) Act 2003 amended the Act to require:
the registration of all handguns except pre-1900 pre-percussion handguns;
firearms collectors with more than 5 firearms stored in the one place to install a monitored alarm system of a class approved by the Chief Commissioner.
Prior to these changes, there was no requirement for the registration of handguns that were manufactured before 1900 and that did not use cartridge ammunition or did not use commercially available cartridge ammunition and handgun collectors were required to install an effect alarm system if they stored more than 15 firearms in the one place
The new requirement was to come into force on 1 July 2003 whilst the new storage requirement was to take effect from 1 January 2004. Both requirements have, however, been subject to successive amnesties, meaning that thye have never actually taken effect.* These current amnesties ended on 31 December 2005.
The Changes
The current amnesties relating to the 2003 registration and storage requirements have been extended to 30 June 2006. This will be a final extension of these amnesties. This means that until 1 July 2006 there will be no changes to the current obligations of antique handgun collectors.
However, as of 1 July 2006:
- all antique handguns** except single shot antique handguns*** will need to be registered; and
- antique handgun collectors who store more than 15 antique handguns in one place will need to install an effective alarm system of a class approved by the Chief Commissioner.
These changes will be made by the Firearms (Further Amendment) Act 2005 ('Amendment Act'), which was recently passed by Parliament. They are a response to the concerns of antique handgun collectors with the new storage and registration requirements introduced in 2003.
The Department of Justice is currently working with Victoria Police to develop a concept of an 'effective alarm system approved by the Chief Commissioner'. It is anticipated that, whilst there will be a minimum 'threshold' requirement, the exact requirements will depend on the individual circumstances of licensees, including location, technical feasibility etc. It is certain, however, that the requirements will not be for a back-to-base monitored alarm system, as previously required.
Communication Campaign
The Department of Justice has set up a web page on which further information, including copies of the amnesty extensions and other relevant information on the changs made by the Amendment Act, will be available for downloading. This web page will be linked to the Victoria Police Licensing Services Division website. [click here to be taken directly to the aforementioned website]
Further information on any of the matters raised in this letter may also be obtained by contacting the Victoria Police Licensing Services Division on 1300 651 645 or the Department of Justice directly on (03) 9651 6226.
I urge all collectors to take advantage of the amnesty extensions to address their storage and registration issues. The implementation process has been extended to enable collectors to appropriately settle their arrangements to be compliant by 1 July 2006. After that date, police will act in respect of any breach of the registration or storage requirements by any collector. Accordingly, I again urge you to act early to avoid exposure to possible prosecution on the grounds of non-compliance with the new requirements after 1 July 2006.
Yours sincerely
C, Nixon, APM
Chief Commissioner of Police
* An exception was for licensed firearms dealers, who have been subject to a requirement to register all handguns except pre-1900 pre-percussion handguns since 31 March 2004.
** antique handgun means a handgun that was manufactured before 1 January 1900 that uses percussion as a means of ignition.
*** single shot antique handgun means an antique handgun that is a black powder handgun that is capable of firing one shot only before requiring reloading.
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