The pro gun lobby in Australia is very much influenced by US action on guns, continually trying to use America as a lever to introduce similar lax laws here. A recent change to the law on handguns in Texas should be of concern to all of us. The new law allows for Texans to carry loaded handguns in public, without any kind of licence or permit, and without any training what so ever in the use of such a lethal weapon. This is very much a return to the days of the wild west and Dodge City, with would be Wyatt Earp's roaming freely looking for the next shootout opportunity. This new law was championed by the powerful NRA, an organisation with links to the pro gun lobby in Australia.

"The Australian gun lobby is as large and spends as much on political donations and campaigns, per capita, as America's powerful NRA, a new report has found."
"Australia's pro-gun groups were also mimicking the NRA's political strategies in a "concerted and secretive" effort to undermine Australia's strict gun laws, according to the report by progressive think tank, The Australia Institute."

Dear Paul,

I would hate to see Australia go down the path
of America regarding gun laws. Hopefully
Australians will not allow this to happen.
We cannot and must not play follow the leader
in this case.

Gun control is beloved of frightened, totalitarian governments, fearful that an armed population will rise up against them. Australia already has some of the most draconian gun laws in the 'free' world; and this is supported by at least two thirds of piss weak Australians, ripe for the coming of socialism "with Chinese characteristics", as their future leader, Xi Jinping, is fond of saying.

When I surrendered my last firearm to police many years ago - because I no longer used it - the officer I dealt with advised me to make sure I kept up my licence (he apparently knew then what was coming). I ignored the advice, because the hungry Brown Liberal government of the time was upping the fee regularly.

Now, if I was ever required to enlist in a Dad's Army in the event of a threat to Australia, I would say, "Eff you".

Former PM John Howard did the best thing with the
laws he brought into play after the Port Arthur massacre.
Let's keep our laws and let the Americans keep theirs.
Let them pledge allegiance to their guns. We've got
better things to do.

cont'd ...

I'd rather we pledged our allegiances to the
Queen.

Australian Gun lobby is not influenced by the USA, this is overlooking the facts why people have guns. I have never owned a gun or am likely to buy a gun. However having grown up in the bush, I have seen their benifit in downing wild pigs, dingoes, snakes, injured animals etc.

I dislike the fact of carrying a hand guns, but I have friends in America who have hand guns in their home in case of a home invasion. They have it because of the frequency of home invasions by criminals entering homes even in broad daylight with weapons.

Currently we can trust the Police and Army who are licenced to carry firearms, but will this always be the case?