Is Mise,

I will have to go with Foxy on this. Having spent some time in South Africa, the problem is not with the gun laws, but that the country is awash with illegal guns from conflicts in Angola, Mozambique, the Congo etc. I remember reading a statistic of the bush war in Rhodesia when all civilians carried protection against terrorist attack, that more civilians were killed by their own guns than by terrorists.

The problem in the US, and I have many US friends, is that the gun lobby has very effectively sold the concept that the right to bear arms equates to the right to free speech etc, and while many don't believe this, enough do to make toughening gun laws nearly impossible.

Hand guns make it too easy to kill and have no place in normal society.

SM,

So the gun laws in South Africa do not work?

What's your take on the fact that Australians are not allowed to possess ANYTHING for the purpose of self defence?

IM,

Someone possessing a gun is far more likely to be killed by that gun or because of that gun than able to defend oneself.

Clearly you didn't read my previous post.

SM,

"Someone possessing a gun is far more likely to be killed by that gun or because of that gun than able to defend oneself."

Care to give a backup reference?

But what's your take on the fact that Australians are not allowed to possess ANYTHING for the purpose of self defence?

IM,

I got this information talking to senior police officer. The reason is simple, the person attacking with a gun will always have the advantage of surprise, and if someone draws a weapon for defense he immediately becomes a target. Similarly, one only has to look at the vast number of fatal gun accidents in the US to realise that simply owning a gun is a risk to one's health.

If you compare the number of cases where someone has successfully defended themselves compared to the instances above, it is a small fraction.

http://archive.jsonline.com/news/opinion/are-you-safer-owning-a-gun-for-home-protection-b9912440z1-207958831.html
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hicrc/firearms-research/gun-threats-and-self-defense-gun-use-2/
https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2015/10/21/nra-commentary-admits-the-odds-of-needing-a-gun/206313

And even if you do successfully defend yourself and kill an intruder, you then have to convince a judge that you had no other option. Chances are that the consequences of your self defense will be worse than the robbery.

Shadow Minister,

"I got this information talking to senior police officer."

A police officer who has requested permission from his superiors not to carry a pistol whilst on duty?
It'd be unsafe, a criminal might take it off him.

But what's your take on the fact that Australians are not allowed to possess ANYTHING for the purpose of self defence?

Or is this question in the 'to hard' basket?