Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026
Mr WILLCOX (Dawson) (10:09): I second the motion. The firearms legislation amendment act is the most useless bit of legislation that has been passed in this parliament in the four years I've been here. That's why it is so important that we repeal these unfair gun laws.
For those opposite, do you actually think that they will make Australia a safer place? Absolutely not. I am a fully licensed pistol shooter, shotgun shooter and rifle shooter, and we have some of the most stringent firearm laws anywhere in the world.
We have to store our guns safely; we have to be trained. But the legislation is not about keeping our people safe. It is about a prime minister who didn't have the guts to stand up to radical Islamic terrorism.
Twelve guns in the hands of a sporting shooter, a collector, a farmer or a grazier is not an issue. One gun in the hands of an Islamic radical terrorist is a massive problem. Does anyone opposite think that, with this law, the criminals will say, 'We can't have these guns anymore,' and hand them back?
No. The legislation is just another attack on law-abiding Australians. What about the money?
The money that this is going to cost is circa $1 billion—absolutely ridiculous. It will not make Australia a safer place. That money could be used for hospitals and making our roads safer.
It could be used for so many different things. But, no, this is another attack on freedom and on gun owners all over Australia. I'd like to thank the Crisafulli government for being strong in Queensland and saying, 'No, we don't want that.' Premier Crisafulli actually knows about the people in my electorate, who do so much.
They cull feral pigs; they make sure that the birds and the varmints are not coming in and destroying crops. This is why you need guns. This is why it's so important.
People ask, 'Why do you need so many different guns?' You need a gun that is fit for purpose. If you're shooting a destructive bird, you might use a smaller weapon like a .22, but it would be inhumane to use a .22 against a pig, so potentially you want to use a .308 or a .30-30. It's just like golf clubs.
You don't see people teeing off with the putter. It needs to be fit for purpose. You need to make sure that you've got the right firearms in the right areas.
The other thing that the legislation simply does not do is pay the appropriate dollars for people's firearms. It's simply not right. The other thing that's not been considered is the people whose firearms have been handed down from father to son.
I've got rifles from my grandfather. They are very, very important to me. I don't use them every day, but I certainly do not want them taken away.
I urge everybody to repeal these unfair gun laws. Those opposite, in their heart of hearts, know that the firearm legislation that has already been passed will not do anything. It's time the Prime Minister stood up, faced the real issue in this country and outlawed and banned radical Islamic terrorism.
The SPEAKER: The time allotted for this debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.