http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTyCD2n6HAQ

Nuff said!

OTB,

The tragedy was not in my family. But it did open my eyes to the risks.

With regard training, what training would you offer a 7 year old who was curious enough to find the keys to the gun safe, remove a gun and "play with it"?

Having a gun is a risk, the question is the risk worth it and can it be managed. Wearing a seat belt is not necessary if you are careful enough never to crash.

Shadow Minister,

You are obsessed with hounding the respectable, law abiding citizens who get a licence, buy legally and register.

What is it about gun 'control' (read as 'ban') activists that they are uninterested in unlicensed offenders with their illegal firearms, ie criminals? Your question is better directed to them. London to a brick there would be no compliance with safekeeping either. Drug money is responsible for the lion's share of illegal guns held, for violent offences committed and for home burglaries too.

So according to you even a safe is not enough? Maybe a safe inside a safe? It is easy to sere that you do not have a clue about the regulations. Perhaps if Qld's are used as a guide.

It is not enough for the child to be able to get into the specially designed firearms safe. The law states that guns also have to be disassembled or bolts removed. On top of that, any ammunition has to be in separate safekeeping.

Where a licensed person neglects any of those conditions, s/he is likely to lose the licence, have expensive firearms confiscated and receive a severe penalty on top of that. Remember too that the disassembled parts of a firearm are also regarded as separate firearms in their own right, and even empty fired cartridge cases are still regarded as 'bullets', so the licensed person suffers many penalties.

Even where a house is broken into and the safe is attacked the police are first concerned with how to charge the licensed owner. It must be the only area of life where the victim can be held responsible for the crime committed against him/her.

Home burglary is common and many (most?) cases remain on the books unsolved. It is rare that a private firearm is stolen and very rare for any stolen firearm to be used to commit an offence. None noted in recent police reports to my knowledge.

"""
What is it about gun 'control' (read as 'ban') activists that they are uninterested in unlicensed offenders with their illegal firearms, ie criminals?
"""

They're uninterested because there's nothing they can do about it.
Innocent, law abiding citizens that value their rights however are an easy target to extend their agenda.

They're from the left and want complete control of your rights. The only thing standing between them and complete control of your rights are guns.

These people don't fear guns, they fear your ability to use them when they push too far. That time has come in many countries of late and will most likely come here as well.

Where I live, zero hour is almost here. The illegals are running a muck and no one wants to talk about it for fear of being labeled a racist. Behind closed doors however; the conversation is quite heated. They're not happy, Jan!

If these people were truly concerned with saving lives, they'd ban governments first and left leaning governments firstly! it is these entities that have mass killed more people around the world than any crazy with a gun and they're still at it!

I fear these people much more than guns. Guns are the equalizer and they know it!

Watch them attack anyone that defends their rights like they're some uncivilized, crazy loon. To me, people that try to impose their world view on others without their consent are the ones that have failed to mature. They want control over something that doesn't belong to them. It's these types that perpetuate the violence in humanity.

It's all a pointless argument anyway. If you really want a gun, you can get one easier than a job. Just ask Bryant where he got his? Or just print off a working plastic one at home anytime you like. The plans are on the net and the g-codes to make it are free to download also! As technology advances, it won't be long before you can print off your own a-bomb at home.

cont..

And while you're all in the typical Australian ban everything mode, you should ban mobile phones. They can be used to kill thousands and you don't even have to be there to get caught.

Onthebeach "You are obsessed with hounding the respectable, law abiding citizens who get a licence, buy legally and register. "

I'm sorry, but unless you are a farmer, police personnel , or military personnel then WHY on earth would a respectable, law abiding citizen buy a gun in Australia?

If, as many on this thread suggest, society is becoming so violent that the 'average ' citizen must arm themselves, then obviously they would plan to shoot someone else if the need arose?
There's nothing 'respectable' or law abiding about taking matters into your own hands.

One in four people own or carry a gun in the US, yet it is one of the most violent places to live.
Obviously, all those respectable, law abiding citizens arming themselves with all manner of firearms designed to kill more than one person at once, do not appear to be making that country any safer to live in do they?