//Then share your knowledge//

What, just because you command me to do so? Who died and made you Grand Moff?

Is Mise,

Trust does not come into this equation.
Governments just try to save lives (as
they do). That's where we differ from
the US. Thank Goodness.

Foxy,

Do you mean that the Government doesn't trust firearm owners to do the right thing?
That it doesn't trust us to keep our guns locked away when not in use?
That it doesn't trust us not to let them fall into the wrong hands?
My, my and here was me thinking that I was being trusted to do the right thing, to be responsible and keep everything under lock and key.

Toni,

Just put up or shut up, the fact is you don't have a shred of evidence for what you said.

G'day there IS MISE...

To be perfectly honest with you the Govt. doesn't trust anyone per se. That's why police or other authorised Officers, have a power conferred on them, to undertake regular inspections, and anyone found not to be in compliance with whatever Act it is, render themselves liable to some form of punitive action.

Of course when it comes to F/A's, because of their very nature, it's left to the coppers to ensure the Act and Regs are complied with. Whereas many offences that happen say on Sydney Harbour, they have the Maritime Services Board Inspectors, are empowered to take action, as well as the Water Police. Be assured the Govt certainly doesn't trust us - but I do get the general thrust of your argument nevertheless.

Is Mise,

Let me see if I understand you correctly.
That because you have a licence
to own a gun - you are therefore trusted by the government
to do the right thing?

Does that also apply to having a driver's licence - that
you will stay within the speed limits, wear seat belts,
and behave while driving?

Does being able to register as a doctor or an accountant -
make you a good trustworthy one?

Maybe we should register our Members of Parliament.

If receiving a licence is all that's needed to make
one trustworthy and doing the right thing - lets all go
for it!

Dear Is Mise,

You wrote;

“Do you have any objection to the authorities saying that they intercepted 6 firearms and 5,594 firearm parts, which consisted of.... and that most of these parts were intercepted in the US and that they were not intercepted by the relevant people in Australia?”

Of course I would because that is not what happened. There were far more than 6 fully functioning weapons siezed. You have made it out like they had claimed it was 5,600 complete firearms but the minister's own press release specifically used the term 'gun parts'.

“We set up National Anti-Gangs Squads to combat organised crime and bikie gangs: resulting in the arrest of more than 1,030 people; the laying of more than 3,170 charges; and the seizure of more than 5,600 illegal guns and gun parts, along with hundreds of kilograms of drugs.”

The AFP have officers stationed in the States where they work in liaison with the US authorities to intercept shipments of goods that are deemed illegal in Australia. These goods are not prohibited within the US so it is only with AFP say so that they are being seized.

Was the Minister responsible for a bit of over-hyping? Yes, but that is what they all do. Was he lying? Nope.

Time to move on.