Australia To Offer Gun Amnesty—Again

posted on March 13, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

As further proof that Australia’s restrictive gun laws haven’t negatively affected criminals—only law-abiding gun owners—the Australian government is offering another firearms amnesty program.

Despite offering no compensation for surrendered firearms, government officials hope that the plan will net 260,000 of an estimated 600,000 illegally possessed guns.

Interestingly, according to a report at nraila.org, from 1987 to 2015 there were 41 (38 state and 3 federal) firearm amnesties of various durations in Australia. And researchers calculate the total number of firearms turned in to various authorities over that period at about 1.1 million. In light of these facts, another gun amnesty just shows how ineffective gun laws are at keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals.

Latest

William A. Bachenberg
William A. Bachenberg

President’s Column | What a Year It Has Been!

Wow! How fast a year has gone by since being elected president at the end of April last year! My first column was titled “It’s A New Day At The NRA,” and included the following:

Standing Guard | We Are the Good Citizens

I am a big believer in transparency. Each individual needs privacy from unconstitutional government intrusion—this especially includes what guns a law-abiding American citizen might own—but an association of freedom-loving citizens must be transparent.

U.S. v. Hemani Arguments

On March 2, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in U.S. v. Hemani. The case involves a defendant who is fighting a federal indictment for possessing a firearm while being a marijuana user.

President’s Column | Getting You Up to Speed

A lot of things have occurred over the past month or so that not all members are completely aware of. I’ll use my column this month to update you on some important issues—transparency.

Standing Guard | The NRA Gathers to Celebrate Our Freedom

The momentum we’re seeing across the country is both encouraging and energizing. January opened with tremendous activity at the NRA booth during SHOT Show, where members, industry partners and supporters stopped by to connect, share ideas and reaffirm their commitment to freedom and the Second Amendment.

Port Authority Doubles Down on Constitution-Free Zone with High-Profile Arrest

As anyone who has passed a basic civics class knows, the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. All legislation and official government actions are subject to its limits.

Interests



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.