2016-11-11
MS PENNICUIK — To ask the Minister for Corrections (for the Minister for Police): How many individuals were licensed to possess one or more firearms in Victoria in each licensing category in 2014 and 2015.
ANSWER on 7 February 2017:
I am advised by Victoria Police that the information is not publicly available and there is no legislative requirement for the Chief Commissioner of Police to publicly report this data.
Publically available data on the number of registered firearms in Victoria is included in the 2014-15 and 2015-16 Victoria Police Annual Reports, which can be accessed at http://vvvvw.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?DocumentID=49.
ANSWER on 22 August 2017:
The 2014-15 and 2015-16 Victoria Police Annual Reports have the following data on the number of Victorian firearm licences, current as at 30 June 2015 and 30 June 2016 respectively:
2014-15 financial year: 214 936 Victorian Firearm Licences
2015-16 financial year: 219 005 Victorian Firearm Licences
I am not able to provide more information from Victoria Police about the firearm register. Prior to the 2014-15 year, Victoria Police did not report on the number of Victorian firearm licences or number of people in possession of firearms in Victoria.
There are well-established public interest grounds to limit access to government documents relating to firearm possession in the community. This is to ensure law enforcement and other sensitive information regarding firearms is properly protected and used for the purpose for which that information is gathered.
The Chief Commissioner of Police is required to keep a register of each firearm kept within the State in accordance with section 113 of the Firearms Act 1996. This requirement implements Victoria's obligations under the National Firearms Agreement.
The National Firearms Agreement, which sets out minimum standards for firearms regulation and has been agreed to by all States and Territories and the Commonwealth, requires the nationwide registration of all firearms. Jurisdictions must record sufficient information to be able to uniquely identify each firearm, including details prescribed by the national information-sharing hub. This nation-wide approach allows law enforcement agencies to track firearms over their lifetime, from import or manufacture, registration and transfer to destruction or legal export. This information is a critical component of law enforcement agencies' intelligence holdings, enabling them to understand the licit and illicit firearms markets and to strengthen their ability to minimise diversion of firearms into the illicit or 'grey' markets.
As you are aware, section 114 of the Firearms Act 1996 provides that the firearms register is an exempt document for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, except where a person is applying for information on the firearms register which specifically relates to that person.
Through the National Firearms Agreement, the firearms register along with other firearm related information is part of a national approach to assist police and law enforcement agencies from all jurisdictions to share information on firearms in Australia. These registers are to improve public safety, through national information sharing on registration, licensing and the movement of firearms between States and Territories.
[Question 7700 reinstated by order of President on 23 February 2017. Hansard reference to original answer: 7 February 2017, page 329]