Hi there ONTHEBEACH...

You'll get no argument from me, when someone argues that tighter gun controls, limits F/A crime on our streets ? We all understand that more stringent gun laws, only serve to further regulate the law abiding citizen, and not crooks. They have their own illicit suppliers, that pay absolutely no heed to the law.

In my opinion, if we were to embrace the New York State model (I think?), where the commission of any crime, reveals the use of a F/A, in any component of that crime, then an additional mandatory ten years custodial sentence, is cumulatively added to the 'head' sentence.

Further, in most US States, where an offender is convicted of an offence, where during the perpetration of that crime, the use of a F/A is proved, then the offender receives a life sentence without any possibility of parole. Often referred too as the 'three strike rule'.
A very harsh penalty to be sure.

'Ye who walk through these portals, abandon all hope' I found this scrawled in the front pages of a battered Gideon's bible, taken from a suicide victim's cell, six wing, Parramatta Gaol, in the mid 1970's.

o sung wu,

I agree. Anyone who uses a weapon in the commission of an offence should receive a stiff penalty. That includes those who are trained in physical combat, eg martial arts.

The Left are soft on criminals for some reason though.

May 2014 be great for us all.
May it bring those who are overly self confident, truth.
May it see those who count enemy's they made as victory's, see the other side to that coin.
Above all near eight years and 5 figure posts may it stop me being seen by fools as a random poster.
May I dare I?
OTB just maybe you will have the manners to know I place no value your childish thoughts/fabrications of others thoughts
Australians seem happy to retain our current gun laws.
To not be like America.
And to consider in the cold light of looking Back see Howard,s law Was doing the right thing.
No joy as a Labor voter but truth beats rants, if Howard had not unleashed work choices on the battlers he drew away from Labor he would still be PM.

This *RANDOM POSTER* is still trying to find sense in that comment.
Are only some free to comment in the land of the lost OTB lives in?

OTB,
Tougher gun laws do have an effect, they make things frustrating for law abiding citizens apart from that they do nothing, certainly nothing positive, unless making crime safer for criminals is a positive.

Firearm registration is a colossal waste of time and money and has never achieved anything.
Australia's venture into Firearms Registration was modeled on that of Canada, the which Canada has now scrapped as it was an abysmal failure and delivered none of its touted promises; it's now time that we followed Canada's lead again.

Registration of firearms came in NSW with the Firearms Act 1920, the Act lasted until around 1932 when the NSW Parliament abolished it and the registration of long arms, mainly because it was a frustrating millstone that achieved nothing.
We then had over 60 years of no registration and the sky didn't fall in.

Firearm Licences are also a waste of time and there is no good reason why individuals should be licenced.

Unless, of course, if the people doing all the drive by and other shootings in Sydney can be brought to heel by cancelling their licences!!

Is Mise,

You are correct. 'Bread and circuses'. Populism. Statism.

Waste of money and police resources. Gets many thousands of respectable, law-abiding citizens off-side. Which is contrary to good policing that depends on gaining the respect and cooperation of the public.

Hysteria is worth some votes and is a good cheap way to control a population.