Max,
What has that got to do with Australian law?

Dearest Issy,

"The SFF party does not seek to bring in US gun laws, Australians already have the legal right to use a firearm in self defence"

That's true in certain exceptional circumstances one could rightly use a firearm in self defence, but one could also be charged with murder if one uses a gun carelessly, as did leading gunnie and SSAA member Ian Turnbull when he murdered NSW Environmental Officer Glen Turner. What is the reality, unlike in many US states where self defence or no reason at all is required, one cannot use the requirement of SELF DEFENCE as a reason for obtaining a gun licence in Australia. Yet, your Shooters and Hooter NSW Party do just that;

In the preamble on gun policy; "The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party asserts the right of law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms." Rather all encompassing would you not say. That's around 97% of the population, a lot of guns!

"5. Establish family and home protection as a genuine reason to own and use a firearm and continue to support measures increasing a person’s right to self-defence." There you go American style gun law, and they say; "We do not support “American style gun laws” in NSW.". Lying rubbish!

You have previously put up the scenario, where some poor chap sitting in his 42nd floor office in Sydney is suddenly and unexpected attacked by a rampaging 'Mallee Bull' that bursts out of the broom closet at him. According to you if he had his trusty, and very much loaded, AK-47 beside his desk he could act in SELF DEFENCE no problem! I seen that picture I think it starred your much loved folk hero Charlton Heston. The poor bastard got killed when a rampaging 'Mallee Bull' ran him over on Hollywood Boulvard in 2008. If only poor Charlton had been packing his trust 'bazooka' that fateful day! He might be still with us today still spruiking your kind of utter rubbish. Agree?

I still love ya Issy. BTW I'll have you know the Gobbles clan have shaped world history. Great Grandpa Thaddeus Gobbles had the ice block concession on the RMS Titanic in 1912! Us Goobles clan would be very rich today if Grandpa's ice block making machine hadn't malfunctioned like it did, creating that humongous ice block in front of the ship on its maiden voyage! Then there was Great Uncle Marmaduke Gobbles, who was responsible for pumping hydrogen into the Hindenburg! Uncle said there was big money for us Gobbles in hydrogen. In May 1937 uncle declared the hydrogen market was about to explode for us Gobbles. If only uncle Marmaduke hadn't been a chain smoker, the poor sod never did have a fag out of his mouth.

Goebbels,
Not US style gun law but the law that pertained in Australia before Howard instigated the disarming of the victims in favour of the criminals, Howard did nothing to disarm criminals just as the Greens support them as well.

Is Mise.

Everything! It gives us all the data we need to know that more guns kills more of your population.

I'm Ordo-Liberal - centre left - a Chardonnay Socialist.

Yet even I will say John Howard was a LEGEND for arranging the gun buy back and making this country safer to live in.

Max,
The crime rate was going down before Pt. Arthur and it continued its downward path/ /afterwards, the gun laws did nothing to stop crime, firearm or otherwise.
What the gun laws did do was make firearm owners more politically aware, hence the SFF Party and the proliferation of gun clubs, particularly pistol clubs.
All supported financially by the Governments.
Our local range was an abandoned wilderness, when it was decided to use it again we had trouble finding the target butts.
Today it is landscaped, the firing point has immovable concrete benches to shoot from, a rere and end walls to stop wind and a roof with guttering to send rainwater into the 10,000 gallon modern fibreglass tank that supplies the shower and two toilets.
There is also mains electric power.
The pistol range has ten electrically powered turning target frames at 25 metres and ditto at 50 metres.
There is a standard toilet and a seperate toilet for disabled shooters with shower, dressing table and mirror.
There are, of course, the necessary access ramps etc.
Target shooting is one of the rew sports where disabled people can compete on equal terms.

None of this would have been possible without the gun laws and whilst they could be improved we have come to live with them, especially the Government grants.