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The changes are expected to pass through Parliament on the 15 th or 16 th of November. Administratively it is not possible for all of the changes to come into effect immediately, therefore they will be proclaimed in stages. The following time frame is proposed.
January 1 2006:
- A “Handgun Licence” is replaced by a “Handgun Target Shooting Licence”, or a ”Junior Handgun Target Shooting Licence”.
- “Approved Matches” will no longer be in the Firearms Regulations, instead they will be approved by the Chief Commissioner. This means that any club can apply to the Chief Commissioner for approval of a match, obviously the club will need to produce a set of rules to go with the application.
- A match that runs over more than one day will count as a match and a day for each day that it is run over.
- A “Commissioners Authority” is no longer required for large calibre Black Powder handguns.
- “Controlled Handguns” are revolvers with a barrel length less than 100 mm, semi-autos with a barrel length less than 120 mm, and any handgun with a calibre greater than 0·38” (does not include Black Powder). A “Commissioners Authority” is not required if;
- you use one on an approved shooting range for the purpose of determining whether or not to purchase the handgun or apply for an authorisation under this section for the handgun; or
- you use one in an approved handgun target shooting match at an approved shooting range as the result of malfunction of another handgun being used by you in that match; or
- you use one for the purposes of instructing another person in the use of the handgun; or
- you possess one for the purpose of storing the handgun.
- Participation is no longer a condition of licence, it is a condition of owning handguns. If you do not own any handguns, you can keep your licence without any participation requirements. There are no participation requirements for juniors.
- Participation is now pro-rata based on the calendar year, e.g. if you have only owned a class of handgun for 6 months of the year then you only need 50% of the participation requirement.
- Participation does not apply to club handguns.
- Inability to comply with participation requirements has been relaxed if the reason was outside your control. See your club secretary as an application must be made to the Chief Commissioner.
- If you have applied for exemption from participation, you may be able to store your handguns at home (not use), rather than elsewhere.
- If you own one or more classes of handgun, and you fail to comply with the participation requirements for one of the classes of handgun, then you will be banned from possessing, carrying or using that class of handgun for up to 12 months.
- Your club can now endorse a Permit to Acquire application for a handgun that you intend to use for approved matches held at another club.
- An unlicensed adult can now receive instruction up to 10 times, for a junior it is still 3.
- The licensed person giving instruction to an unlicensed person is now responsible for sending the form to the Chief Commissioner. There will be a new form, hopefully much simpler.
- You can now own a Black Powder handgun during the first six months of your “Handgun Target Shooting Licence”.
- The club annual report to the Chief Commissioner must now include “Club Shoots’ as well as “Approved Matches”. The format for this is still being negotiated.
- Club handguns were restricted to club members, they can now be used by prospective members.
- Unlicensed persons may now “possess or carry a firearm in the course of his or her duties as a supervisor, competition judge or range officer at an approved shooting range”. Careful here, if you do not have a licence, do not follow the I.S.S.F. rules for a malfunction which require you to take the handgun from the competitor and pull the trigger, because if it does discharge, you have just broken the law. Use a bit of lateral thinking and get the competitor to pull the trigger while you watch, then take the handgun and complete the examination.
1 October 2006:
- A “Probationary Permit” is replaced by a “Provisional General Category Handgun Licence”, and is only issued for a maximum of 12 months. The holder must complete the “Police Safety Course” within the first three months of the licence.
- An adult may now have a “Handgun Target Shooting Licence” in order to own a handgun for the use of a junior that holds a ”Junior Handgun Target Shooting Licence”. There are no participation requirements for the adult or the junior. The Act does not require the adult to be a member of a club, but if this person is going to supervise the junior then for insurance reasons the adult must be a club member.
That was quite painless, wasn’t it? Now, on to the participation requirements for those of you that OWN handguns.
Own 1 class of handgun:
Participate as a competitor, supervisor, judge or range officer. |
Minimum days |
6 matches on at least 6 separate days. |
4 matches or shoots on at least 4 separate days in addition to those at the left. |
10 |
6 of the matches or shoots must be as a competitor. |
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Own more than 1 class of handgun:
Participate as a competitor, supervisor, judge or range officer. |
Minimum days |
6 matches on at least 6 separate days. |
For each class of handgun owned at least 4 matches or shoots on at least 4 separate days. This would not stop you shooting more than one class of handgun on the same day. |
10 |
6 of the matches or shoots must be as a competitor. |
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