Is it illegal to carry in the back yard now?

[Granting]

Why the f$%# would anyone want to carry in their backyard unless you live on a property and trying to shoot animals.

Birds were eating his plants....

[Point223]

If you're living in suburbia you have no business shooting birds. If you live out in the country go for your life.

[Granting]

That's probably fair enough, yep.

[Chronos]

If you're living in suburbia you have no business shooting birds. If you live out in the country go for your life.

BUT NOT WITH A PISTOL!



Chronos

[1290]

If you're living in suburbia you have no business shooting birds. If you live out in the country go for your life.

Who was shooting birds?

[brand]

Didn't fire a shot according to the police statement.

Sounds like he just got frustrated and went out there thinking about it.

[Oldbloke]

If I grab an empty rifle in the back yard and dry fire it or just look through the scope to check it out and a sticky nosed neigbour sees me and calls 000. What am I guilty of?

[Point223]

If I grab an empty rifle in the back yard and dry fire it or just look through the scope to check it out and a sticky nosed neigbour sees me and calls 000. What am I guilty of?

Scaring the s**t outta your sticky nosed neighbour I guess. Hardly constitutes a crime but that's not the point. Why on earth would you want the world to know that you have a gun? We're frowned upon as it is without brandishing our weapons in our backyards..

Use your common sense (which is farkin rare) don't display your guns unless you're hunting, or out at the range.

Keep your guns concealed, hidden away from the prying eyes of the public.

Have respect for firearms. I'd only take mine out if I plan to shoot it, clean it, or repair it.

Firearms are highly sought items by gangs, and theives and shouldn't be put out there for all to see.

Keep it to yourself unless it's being used, cleaned, repaired.

I'm old fashioned like that I guess.

[1290]

and I guess point223, dont tell your workmates that you own guns, dont tell them you kill animals, because they might get the wrong impression of you?? They might find out your a crazed gun owner hell bent on killing things, cruel and messed up in the head, otherwise why would you want guns, right?

You're wrong, sorry, but hiding your interest/hobby/recreation results in the masses just not knowing that shooting and hunting exists... walking around looking left and right...in the shadows... because you're moving the gun from the front door to the car or from the dealer to the car or where ever, results in reclusive gun owner, only concerned with hiding their 'shameful' hobby...

The only people who you dont want to know about your guns are those who want to steal them, otherwise, bugger them, if they dont like it they can effoff.

I say let the public see the guns LET THEM KNOW 'WE' EXIST!! THAT WE ARE LAW ABIDING CITIZEN & WE OWN GUNS THAT WE USE RESPONSIBLY ...

then, if they do catch a glimpse of that gun being handled in a backyard, or being transported, or being placed in or removed from a boot.... they dont jump on 000 with SOG dispatched to bust a peaceful 60year old guy... while drug and gang crime runs rampant elsewhere..

[Point223]

Let me tone it down a little for you 1290..

I don't give a f$ck what anyone thinks about me having a gun. I look to protect my firearms from criminals, which is everyone until proven otherwise. I didn't say it was shameful. I said it was a private matter not to be shared with the whole neighbourhood. I'm a reclusive gun owner however you got that right. And that's my business. However if I see you with a gun in the backyard of the house next to my house where my kids and wife sleep you're within range buddy.

[Lorgar]

If I grab an empty rifle in the back yard and dry fire it or just look through the scope to check it out and a sticky nosed neigbour sees me and calls 000. What am I guilty of?

I know we're both in Victoria it's taboo to quote laws from other states but FYI, this is for WA.

"custody of a firearm in a public place" and "discharging a firearm in a public place" are both criminal charges in WA according to the Australian Institute of Criminology publish Court outcomes for firearm offences in Australia.

"being armed in a way that may cause fear" and "causing fear or alarm to driver of conveyance or others" are both in the Criminal Code Act of WA.

From their side arguably none of which require you to have threatened or attempted harm upon another person.

I share this as I already had the information handy from another post.

If I recall correctly there are equivalents of the "custody of a firearm in a public place" charge and "being armed in a way that may cause fear" in Victoria but I can't remember if it's covered in the firearms act or crimes act.

Don't have all day to research for you so just posting what I already had

[Oldbloke]

Mmmm that poses the question is my back yard a public place? Not firing, just looking through the scope at say a tree up the road.

[1290]

If I grab an empty rifle in the back yard and dry fire it or just look through the scope to check it out and a sticky nosed neigbour sees me and calls 000. What am I guilty of?

I know we're both in Victoria it's taboo to quote laws from other states but FYI, this is for WA.

"custody of a firearm in a public place" and "discharging a firearm in a public place" are both criminal charges in WA according to the Australian Institute of Criminology publish Court outcomes for firearm offences in Australia.

"being armed in a way that may cause fear" and "causing fear or alarm to driver of conveyance or others" are both in the Criminal Code Act of WA.

From their side arguably none of which require you to have threatened or attempted harm upon another person.

I share this as I already had the information handy from another post.

If I recall correctly there are equivalents of the "custody of a firearm in a public place" charge and "being armed in a way that may cause fear" in Victoria but I can't remember if it's covered in the firearms act or crimes act.

Don't have all day to research for you so just posting what I already had

In Victoria (I've posted this a few times ) under the firearms Act, its an offence to possess a LOADED firearm in public places... with the clear inference being that an UNLOADED firearm is all good .... may I repeat; under the FA

[Point223]

One word: don't.

[rainwalker]

In Victoria (I've posted this a few times ) under the firearms Act, its an offence to possess a LOADED firearm in public places... with the clear inference being that an UNLOADED firearm is all good .... may I repeat; under the FA

Not disputing the Firearms act there, but I wonder if they wouldn't get you for some 'disturbing the peace' kind of charge of someone complained?

[1290]

In Victoria (I've posted this a few times ) under the firearms Act, its an offence to possess a LOADED firearm in public places... with the clear inference being that an UNLOADED firearm is all good .... may I repeat; under the FA

Not disputing the Firearms act there, but I wonder if they wouldn't get you for some 'disturbing the peace' kind of charge of someone complained?

I have no doubt they would find some charges... to justify an outing by the VSOG, but not under the FA....

[Oldbloke]

" I have no doubt they would find some charges... to justify an outing by the VSOG, but not under the FA...."

Yep I think that would often be the case .

[anthillinside]

In our nanny protected society even if it isn’t illegal it seems that anything that some do-gooder doesn’t like it it’s proper-grangerised to sound like it is and unfortunately we act as if it is.
How many of us “hide” our guns while taking them from the car to the house? (large property owners excepted).
Did you do that 30 years ago? (if your as old as me )
Police can’t know ALL the laws and I wouldn’t expect them to but I do expect them to have some common sense which seems to be lacking these days, more like fine first ask questions later.
And it's not just us, kids can't even have a Texta in their pocket without being in trouble.
Passing just in case or minority laws is a popularist reaction of politicians, it’s just the way society has evolved.
Although I understand it, I still look in disbelief of were we are and were we are heading and hope for change that is unlikely to happen.

[Vati]

Although I understand it, I still look in disbelief of were we are and were we are heading and hope for change that is unlikely to happen.

It can only get worse, we'd almost need a complete collapse of government to go back to anything resembling 'freedom' and living by common sense instead of the letter of the law.

[Point223]

Live by common sense? Yours or mine? An honour killer's common sense is to kill his daughter if she has extra marital sex. A westerner couldn't care less who or how she has sex.

What I'm saying is that there has to be a law. Our laws are up the ass that's true, nonsensical at times true as well. But there must be a law and that's the difference between a civilized state and savagry.

Firearms are inanimate objects, true. So are swords and other weapons. If you draw a sword. Clean it, fix it, or use it. If you're not planning to do any of the previously mentioned actions, tuck it away.

Same thing with firearms. And don't be telling me "how we should raise awareness about how nice we are" and how "everyone should notice and recognize us as LAFO, etc" if we are we wouldn't be in the backyard with a gun unless we plan to use it. That's a load of BS.

[Oldbloke]

Same thing with firearms. And don't be telling me "how we should raise awareness about how nice we are" and how "everyone should notice and recognize us as LAFO, etc" if we are we wouldn't be in the backyard with a gun unless we plan to use it. That's a load of BS.

Sorry don't agree. It is my back yard, I may decide to clean a shotgun under the back veranda. I consider my back yard private, NOT a public place.

Next it will be illegal to have a beer in the back yard because it is a public place.

[Vati]

Live by common sense? Yours or mine? An honour killer's common sense is to kill his daughter if she has extra marital sex. A westerner couldn't care less who or how she has sex.

What I'm saying is that there has to be a laws. Our laws are up the ass that's true, nonsensical at times true as well. But there must be a law and that's the difference between a civilized state and savagry.

Hang on now... I didn't say I wanted anarchy and for everyone to live like savages. I said "freedom and living by common sense instead of the letter of the law".

How about....

Don't harm or kill anyone.
Don't steal or damage someone's properties.
Don't endanger anyone's property or person.
Honour your agreements.
f*** any of the above up and pay for it.

How bad would the country be if we live by that? A 2 year old could follow it. Do they each need 200 sections, sub sections, exemptions, clauses, if's, or's and but's.

As it is we have 10,000+ laws and got knows how many actual pages of legislation.... The Gillard Government in 2012 produced 8,000+ pages alone. There is so much no one can possibly have a grasp on even half of it. Out own legislators and enforcers wouldn't know half the things that are legal or not here.

[Point223]

Yes and No. Yes the law is as ****** complicated as my wife. No because the law cannot be stagnant. It must be fluid and adpative in order to be updated to keep up with changes.

In any case I still disagree with cleaning your rifle or brandishing any other weapon in your backyard unless it's not visible to others. If others can see you they have every right to be worried, even though they have no right or business to look into your backyard.

[Vati]

Yes and No. Yes the law is as ****** complicated as my wife. No because the law cannot be stagnant. It must be fluid and adpative in order to be updated to keep up with changes.

I'm away the above isn't completely comprehensive

Considering it draft guidelines for something simpler