In 1996, his first year as Prime Minister, John Howard tightened Australia’s gun laws, following the Port Arthur massacre.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/a-shot-at-safety/2006/04/27/1145861484114.html?page=fullpage

16 years on, can we see a difference?

< Resoundingly, yes. In the decade up to and including Port Arthur, Australia experienced 11 mass shootings. In these 11 events alone, 100 people were shot dead and another 52 wounded. In the 16 years since 1996 and the new gun laws, not one mass shooting has occurred in Australia. >

Meanwhile, in the US……

Your thoughts…

Luddy old mate, I thought you wanted to keep the population down.

This is yet another example of how our laws are there to control the 1%, who do the wrong thing, rather than allow the 99% to enjoy their lives without constant governance from big brother.

Guns don't kill people.

This is what I love about this forum. First, I thought 'you know, Ludwig is right!'. Then my thoughts were disrupted by a belly laugh as I read Hasbeen's reply. Not that I think with my belly.

Back on topic, though, I tend to agree. I had my doubts at first, but was quite young and easily swayed by the anti-establishment press. I know that there are certain people in our society for whom guns are necessary, and I respect their right to carry firearms. I still don't understand, though, why semi-automatic weapons were so necessary.

There's always the argument that criminals don't respect the law and gun controls will only take guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens who need them, either for their work or for their protection. But at the end of the day, it is now much harder to get my hands on a gun if I go all loco and want to kill a few people. That can only be a good thing, if you ask me.

If you could find one thing Ludwig that Howard got right, this was probably it. It may have even been for the right reasons for once, instead of some pure ideological or political form of motivation.

Beyond that Ludwig, when comparing ourselves with the U.S. situation, one would have to say that the U.S. wasn't really comparable with Australia in lots of other ways, before Howard, but after, it was, and still is, and those ways have detracted from the purity of our democracy and the balance that existed in our economy. Howards main achievement was the redistribution of the countries wealth to the upper middle (his constituent )class.

Changes to cross media ownership laws by Howard (for 1), has changed our political landscape, shifting power from the public to the private sector. Those with enough financial grunt to control the flow of information, now control and manipulate/inspire the public's imagination, instead of balance being guaranteed by edict, a right for all, we now now find public media so underfunded, that their news service largely repeats feed from other commercial sources, lacking any funding to produce or supply their own information or entertainment.

For these things alone, we can thank John Howard, and without having the time to go into the detail Ludwig , it goes without saying that their is plenty more.

Be grateful we are not America, and be grateful Howard acted as he did.
His party if it continues to be lead in its current direction may change all that.
We however have disarmed, as it should be,many.
But criminals in increasing numbers are using guns we once never saw here.