Is Mise, I understand how frightening it is for the elderly in our community, but I have patched up far more older citizens after falls or accidents in their own homes, than I ever have after they were victims of violence.
Suseonline,
Ah well, all is ok then, I don't know what we're worried about. osung wu et al are just paranoid eh ? Suse for everyone else's sake it would be a good thing if you actually experienced being a victim.
Anyone should be allowed to defend themselves with wahatever means are at hand at a moment's notice. If the craphead gets seriously insured or even better dead than good.
I for one m just saturated with being sick of do-gooder idiocy, I have had my whole life altered in a detrimental way by crapheads & moron do-gooders. Much of it just plain jealousy & racism. As I said I am sick of it all. Happy new Year !

Yes, Suse, I'm in good shape and thanks to the amount of taxpayers' money that a grateful Government spent on my 'education' I am still able to defend myself at close quarters as my training was primarily to kill, however I would prefer to be able to defend myself without having to get close and personal because physical strength matters; to use Indian Wrestling again as an illustration, my second son (now 39) is a giant of a man with immense strength) and I've never managed to come anywhere near beating him.

The State cannot protect its citizens from harm, even in their own homes, so neither the State nor any else has any right to disarm them and it's not just guns; it is an offence, punishable by law, to possess any thing for the purpose of self defence.

We can not treat this problem as if it did not exist.
But too we must remember the thoughts scwalled on those Rome walls from before the Christian era.
That is remember man has always thought the worst of those younger than him.
For that reason I am appalled at any thought we should carry guns.
And am not calling for long harsh sentences.
But I am calling for accountability, and a fixed minimum term in prison for this crime.
Remember, generations of folk have changed the law, not always in positive ways, to bring about changed behavior.
I propose a fixed two year team, to be served as a minimum for every offender convicted of this crime.
And confinement should if it is possible, be paid for by the convicted person, or work done to pay the costs.
We are told, and have every reason to believe prison is a University of crime, learning even more ways to offend.
I think at some time a brave reformist will come and among the changes to our system of law, a learning to live theme may be given in every prison.

G'day there HASBEEN and all the other good people out there...

You ask some good questions there HASBEEN;

'...come on OSW give us the real reason the cops want us disarmed - are the cops scared of an armed populace? and '...or do the politicians fear their subjects if they're armed - and use the authority of the cops to prevent such an eventuality...' ?

To be ABSOLUTELY truthful, I can't be sure ? Be in no doubt, our politicians, whether you like them or hate them, 'rule the roost'. During my 32 years, and having spoken to many in the job over that time (unofficially canvassing their views), most coppers, including myself, would be very concerned indeed if we in Oz lived in an armed climate similar to that which exists in the United States.

Imagine, if we were all permitted to purchase a F/A for our own protection, there are many people out there (of BOTH sexes) that I personally wouldn't want them armed with a water pistol, such is their level of social maturity, and personal responsibility !

I would bet every one of you, KNOW of such individuals ? Not that they're convicted criminals, or they're nuts. Rather you get a sense that they would be absolutely stupid, if you gave them a .38spec or a 9mm or similar. A N D because these weapons are highly concealable, you would never know which of them would be armed ?

Every copper in this country would be going on shift in a heightened level of stress and anxiety, even fear in some cases. Any copper who says otherwise is a liar.

The main problem being, if every adult citizen sought a licence to carry a handgun for self protection, and the law(s) throughout Oz changed and it was approved, unless the applicant is a convicted crook or a totally 'nuf nuf', we can't discriminate against any bona fide applicant. No matter what level of mandated training is a statutory requirement !

I'll continue again shortly.

Once again the clueless, the uninformed and the stirrers confuse illegal gun ownership and violence with the lawful possession and lawful pursuits of licensed owners.

Anyone can procure a firearm for whatever purpose s/he intends. The market is well supplied from abroad. Official stats prove that weapons used in gun crimes are most unlikely to have been stolen from lawful, licensed owners. That is from police stats.

It is only the respectable, law-abiding citizens who obey the laws, obtain licences and register. They are not the problem. They have nothing to do with the problem either. They are the good guys. Of course there are a few 'gun control' hoplophobes on the site (Hi to Suseonline!) who continually attack the law-abiding citizens while at the same time finding excuses for criminals. Figure that one out!

Returning to 'king hits', those attacking others and doing harm are the usual suspects the police would be expecting to assault and cause mayhem. The police can give the home addresses where the behaviour is modelled to them by mum and dad, and where they practice street pugilism and other time-filling negative pastimes. There is no need for research, academics, counsellors, education and so on. They only fear detection, arrest and incarceration. They should be required to work for the dole, to do real productive manual work, to keep them occupied.

It should be added that Australia's rapid (over-)population growth is contributing to the problem, as is importing more sociopaths from backward cultures. For the last mentioned, better migrant screening and send them back if they lie on an application or commit crimes or associate with criminals, within several years of arrival.

Of course it would be best if no-one carried a gun because as o sung wu says there are too many who could not control having a gun. My argument is that no-one should have a right to deny someone else's right to defend themselves.
If someone has a go at me then I should not have to weigh up the legal consquences of my defensice action. It is absolutely ludicrous that someone can make my life a misery yet I can not retalliate because of lack of witnesses. It's what's causing the breaking down of our society because you don't require witnesses to do wrong but when you try to do right you require witnesses. If someone is in my yard stealing I should be able to disarm them & tie them up not have to let myself get hurt & then charged for deprivation of liberty.
Australian Law is not Law it's a Joke.