Local gun shop closures with COVID shutdown

[Baronvonrort]

SIFA statement.

National Cabinet Risks Firearms Security

“Closures of Licensed Firearms Businesses will result in stockpiles of firearms and ammunition at unsecured sites and the decimation of 22 thousand jobs.”

“Declare Licensed Firearms Dealers an essential service or risk the safety and security of the Australian nation.”
Quotes attributable to Laura Patterson, SIFA Head of Communications and Research.

In profoundly shocking circumstances, some jurisdictions have forced the closure of Licensed Firearms Businesses, breaking the bonds of the National Firearms Agreement implemented in 1996 led by Prime Minister John Howard.
Not only should we brace for mass bankruptcies of Licensed Firearms Business valued at $6.2 billion, we should also brace for the mismanagement of firearms and ammunition already in circulation.

A key pillar of John Howard’s gun laws is that every single firearm in the nation must be registered through a Licensed Firearms Business. It can only be assumed that Police Services in each State and Territory that forces Licensed Firearms Business closures will be responsible for the physical management of firearms at the front counter in their stations for the first time in 24 years.

Licensed Firearms Business staff are being sacked as we speak and business owners are lining up for benefits. Who can afford the massive redeployment of Police resources required to fill the gaps?

The National Cabinet should immediately recognise Licensed Firearms Businesses as essential to head off the terrible effects of poorly crafted decision making.

https://sifa.net.au/national-cabinet-risks-firearms-security/

[MJW380]

I don’t see what the big deal is with threads going a bit ‘off topic’, conversations evolve and take you to other related subjects, I think this leads to interesting discussion no?

[TassieTiger]

Serious question - if the cops take your firearms under what ever, then are they responsible for any damage, relighting costs, etc ? Do they take photos or should you? I’d be so pissed - I look after my firearms and try not to scratch or damage anything so I would try and recover every bloody dollar, especially if they were taken under questionable terms...if that meant a claims case against the police force, where the chief and I go head to head - so be it. No lawyers allowed in small claims lol.

[RoginaJack]

The Palaszczuk/Trad Labour Government - After all the hardship farmers, country business and Queenlanders in general have suffered, I know what we can do; lets close ALL the Licence firearm Dealers down!

Never mind the drought, floods and bushfires and now the Covid-19 virus and stuff all the pest controllers culling feral animals and protecting the natives. Stuff the country towns trying to struggle back to made a few dollars from the Tourists..

Lets just do it! Now this will really stuff the State and create thousands more unemployed!

Good one Labour and Oh, when's the next state election?

[Baronvonrort]

Serious question - if the cops take your firearms under what ever, then are they responsible for any damage, relighting costs, etc ? Do they take photos or should you? I’d be so pissed - I look after my firearms and try not to scratch or damage anything so I would try and recover every bloody dollar, especially if they were taken under questionable terms...if that meant a claims case against the police force, where the chief and I go head to head - so be it. No lawyers allowed in small claims lol.

Yes they are responsible, I would take detailed hi res photos of anything and everything the Police confiscate that was legally owned before being confiscated in case claims have to be made for damage for your own records.

If they were taking a firearm I would even give them a soft bag to store it in to help prevent damage.

I would even question if they needed to take optics since they're not considered a firearm in some cases this glass can be worth more than the gun.If I knew they were coming around I would probably remove the glass before they arrive.

[Stix]

I don’t see what the big deal is with threads going a bit ‘off topic’, conversations evolve and take you to other related subjects, I think this leads to interesting discussion no?

Yes i agree mate.

But i guess i was just saying, that in this case i would have thought--& its just a thought--im no ruler...id have thought keeping a thread specifically dedicated to the supply of firearms & components, the very thing we all have in common here, might have been helpful.... ...pictures of test medical kits in China & statitiscs of the Spanish Flu back when Jesus was getting his first callus could be put in one of the other threads id have thought...?

So i wasnt suggesting not letting threads take their own course...rather just a little due dilligence on our part to keep this one on track....if someone wanted to look back to see if their shop had been shut down, or ask about who is open & get projecti...arh...meh...

Doesnt matter..

[rc42]

Mass confiscation of firearms from licensed shooters would be a huge undertaking and is not likely to happen, I think I saw figures reporting around 200,000 licensed firearm owners and around 1 million firearms in Queensland alone.

It would take a task force of hundreds of police months to visit every owner and properly catalog and confiscate all firearms, even they order all firearms owners to report to the local police station the queues would seem endless and they just don't have the resources (or justification) for that. Especially with extra police on borders and monitoring quarantine violations.
There is also no process that they can create which would avoid hundreds of thousands of face to face interactions at a time when social isolation is being preached.

I suspect that one of the many levels of meetings about government shutdown options has had an anti-gun lobbyist like Jackie Trad who has suggested firearms dealers as non-essential for anyone in the community and nobody has been there to put the case for Primary Producers so it has gone through.

The reasoning of 'non-essential business' is certainly better than the WA reasoning of 'in the interests of public safety' and firearms dealers are not singled out but on a list with other businesses that will eventually get to trade again.

[Stix]

As quoted from Barons post above...
“Closures of Licensed Firearms Businesses will result in stockpiles of firearms and ammunition at unsecured sites and the decimation of 22 thousand jobs.”

“Declare Licensed Firearms Dealers an essential service or risk the safety and security of the Australian nation.”
Quotes attributable to Laura Patterson, SIFA Head of Communications and Research.

Im a bit tired...but i dont like the way that SIFA statement is worded...

They are suggesting that when every gun store is closed it is a danger to society & that the firearms are not secured...???!!!
Since when is that...??...Since when can a dealer just open up a store without complying to strict regulated security...???

...whos side are they on, & how stupid is that...???

Have they no brains, or am i just reading it wrong...?

Fuk me dead....its just madness...all of it...

[TassieTiger]

Your right Stix - crazy. I doubt it will go nationwide but who knows.
Bloody excellent point RE glass baron - I stupidly did not even think of that.

[Bill]

I just finished eating a packet of 4 Hunters Peri Peri Biltong (made in QLD) and whilst the flavor and tenderness was there, too much sinew for my liking.

Oh yeah bedded 2 rifles last night and discovered that on current projections Merica will have 100 million infections in about 4 or 5 weeks time, stay safe and remember to wear your mask, wash your hands for 30 seconds and buckle up

[TassieTiger]

I could do with some pretty pics ?
Z?

Stix ? If I put up a pic of an empty gun shop shelf, can you put up a leather clad hottie with a whip again ? :/)

[Sergeant Hartman]

Hmm Tassie.. only for your eyes. a new project while the shooting ranges are shut.... that's if i get time to play, i been joking our products have become toilet paper rolls. But i suspect all wild rides will come to an end sooner rather than later, apparently latest rumor is level 3 shutdown restrictions will come just on or after Easter.

20200328_231614.jpg (468.21 KiB) Viewed 4001 times

Ohh it comes with a friend as well

[sungazer]

I agree Stix they are closed at least 1 and a half days a week every week very predictably. They dont get broken into on those days all the robberies I have read about have been during business hours when there are staff there to unlock and help hand over guns.

[TassieTiger]

geeezzzus - that’s sweet in “theory” lol. So many questions...

[sungazer]

Perhaps some of our guns should go on short term holidays you know less than 2 weeks so no change of storage address is needed. to other legal firearm owner friends of course by mutual exchange. Stored in that spare safe in the corner of the ? sorry Sir I forgot about that safe.

[MJW380]

Sewing machine?

[Stix]

Im not going to suggest i might have been thinking the same sungazer...lol.

Tassie--it is a notice to the Govt, suggesting that gun shops are a danger to society, & its been made public so has already gone "National"...FFS...Idiots...just brainless bloody idiots...!!

It is ludicouus...!!!...who chooses the idiots that get in such positions to write this stuff...?
Is it a prerequisite they be lobotomised before holding such positions...i mean really...i honestly cannot believe how stupid the person is who wrote this, &/or the people who approved such blatant stupidity on paper to a Government....!!!

God sometimes i wish i was a great deal stupider'r than i am...!!!...then seeing sh!t like this wouldnt hurt so much...!!!

Does anyone know their contact details...bugger it--ill tell em...!!!,,,we should all tell them...!!!...all of us inundate their inbox with thousands of similar emails asking WTF they saying & to just shut the hell up if they refuse to think before they write stuff to the Govt...!!!
(do as i say not as i do... ... )

Shame its a bit too late to have a drink...

[Stix]

Dear Lordy lordy...

Now NIOA are on to it & have spread that stupid statement nation wide...ive got it in my email inbox...

Stupid.gif (1009.77 KiB) Viewed 4149 times

Someone should put text on this meme...saying "SIFA"s Govt Negotiation & Media Dept"...

[trekin]

As quoted from Barons post above...
“Closures of Licensed Firearms Businesses will result in stockpiles of firearms and ammunition at unsecured sites and the decimation of 22 thousand jobs.”

“Declare Licensed Firearms Dealers an essential service or risk the safety and security of the Australian nation.”
Quotes attributable to Laura Patterson, SIFA Head of Communications and Research.

Im a bit tired...but i dont like the way that SIFA statement is worded...

They are suggesting that when every gun store is closed it is a danger to society & that the firearms are not secured...???!!!
Since when is that...??...Since when can a dealer just open up a store without complying to strict regulated security...???

...whos side are they on, & how stupid is that...???

Have they no brains, or am i just reading it wrong...?

Fuk me dead....its just madness...all of it...

However, SIFA'S statement is correct. Part of that security is back to base monitoring, who then notify police of a break in, a week or so ago QPS management said their members would no longer attend non essential call outs. So now all of QLD'S gun shops are deemed non essential and sitting there closed with no security because the police won't attend a call out if the alarms are triggered.

[Sergeant Hartman]

No its an ironing board

[Stix]

Bullsh!t...

I get that perspective, but to suggest police wont attend is ludicrous...they'll be there with their guns drawn...!!

Secondly, saying what they've said, just gives the coppers the excuse to take them over/empty them out/ deem them a danger by admittance & make them harder to open later.

I think its stupidity at its finest.

Sure, have your arguement, but what are your chances of success if you're defense is to suggest the anti's are correct...

Ill say it again...stupidity at its finest...!!

[Stix]

Just read my post back & i dont mean to sound confrontational trekkin...

I believe they should be open so dont get me wrong, im just saying using the same arguement the opposition use TO shut us down isn't conducive to a favourable outcome...now or later.

It IS admitting they (Govt & anti's) are correct, & they are NOT.

[Stix]

Ah scratch that...sorry...someone will get offended & dob on me...

[rc42]

Amazingly enough the USA is having the same 'non essential' tag on their gun stores in some states, despite their second amendment 'rights'.
Obviously they are responding in their traditional cultural way and launching lawsuits with the NRA now suing the government of California.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/28/us/n ... index.html


It will be interesting to watch this progress but I don't expect anything similar to happen here and even if it does the government can just give itself more emergency powers to just ignore courts or suspend them as 'non essential' too.

[trekin]

Bullsh!t...

I get that perspective, but to suggest police wont attend is ludicrous...they'll be there with their guns drawn...!!

Secondly, saying what they've said, just gives the coppers the excuse to take them over/empty them out/ deem them a danger by admittance & make them harder to open later.

I think its stupidity at its finest.

Sure, have your arguement, but what are your chances of success if you're defense is to suggest the anti's are correct...

Ill say it again...stupidity at its finest...!!

Unfortunately they might show up 3, 4 hours, or longer, later because the thin blue line is stretched even thinner manning boarder check points, and making sure that all these new arrivals stay in isolation. You and SIFA are arguing to the same ends, keeping gun shops open, their argument is that by closing gun shops they putting further strain on police resources by putting the onus on the police to provide 24/7 security. As for confiscation of stock, where will QPS store all that gear that doesn't leave themselves as targets for some one wanting to steal them.
Personally, I reckon the gun shops should be allowed to stay open 24/7 and provide their own security measures.

[trekin]

Just read my post back & i dont mean to sound confrontational trekkin...

I believe they should be open so dont get me wrong, im just saying using the same arguement the opposition use TO shut us down isn't conducive to a favourable outcome...now or later.

It IS admitting they (Govt & anti's) are correct, & they are NOT.

No worries, S, I think SIFA's problem is the wording.

[Oldbloke]

Mathias Gorman just stated this morning on Insiders that they will only shut down businesses based on good medical advice.

Then why arnt all sports stores being shut down?

[Oldbloke]

Mathias Gorman just stated this morning on Insiders that they will only shut down businesses based on good medical advice.

Then why arnt all sports stores being shut down?

Edit. Why are gun shops less healthy than any other shop?

[Kelsey Cooter]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't like the SIFA statement. Silly stuff that if anything makes us all look foolish. They are trying to speak up for the industry and they mean well but good god surely they could of thought about it a bit more before releasing that statement

[PorkEatingCrusader]

Just emailed my local state MP. This is just insanity. They close the churches down and now the gun dealers but not alcohol stores? How ridiculous this state is. Keep people drunk and give them haircuts so they don't notice the chaos. Thats the message they are sending.

“Dear Minister Hunt

As my local member of state parliament I am writing to you to express my disgust at the reclassification of firearm dealers as non-essential businesses in Queensland. This forced closure will not only impact the livelihood of thousands of Queenslanders and their families who directly work in the firearm industry but also the over 200000 lawful firearm owners throughout Queensland.

At a time where food production is imperative this closure prevents farmers from accessing ammunition and firearms to keep feral pests at bay and thus preventing crops and livestock from being destroyed. Whilst shooting ranges have been closed amongst other sporting clubs, recreational shooting on private property is still a favourite and important pastime for tens of thousands of Queenslanders.

How can hairdressers still be classed as essential businesses where you literally get touched but firearm dealers are not? Firearm owners are the most responsible people in society as a condition of holding a firearms licence is to be a fit and proper person. Whats important in these perilous times is that the economy continues to function and that can only be done by keeping as many businesses open as possible. How can one sit down and get a 30 minute haircut or try on a shirt at a clothing store but can't walk into a lawful firearm dealership, observe social distancing, pick up a purchase and be out in their car in a matter of minutes?

The Shooters Union of Australia which I am a member of are writing to the Queensland Chief Medical Officer and the Queensland Premier to voice their outrage at this discriminatory decision. As an outstanding resident of the Nambour community and a single issue voter who can't wait for that last day of October could you please inform me what actions you intend to take on this issue?

Regards“