Can you say "strict enforcement of existing laws"? Take note of the my highlighted sections, it is obvious that the purpose of these laws is not to go after violent criminals.
[url]www.smh.com.au/news/0107/06/national/national1.html[/url]
Judges urged to get tough on gun offenders
By Robert Wainwright, State Political Correspondent
The State Government wants the courts to impose harsher sentences on criminals caught with guns as part of a crackdown on
violent crime.
The Attorney-General, Mr Debus, said last night he was worried that judges were not being tough enough despite new laws
announced in May that allow courts to impose 14-year prison terms for the worst offences.
Recent statistics show 96 per cent of gun offenders were escaping with sentences of less than two years. In the local court,
the average sentence is seven months while half of convicted gun offenders are fined an average of $400.
Mr Debus confirmed he had written this week to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr Nicholas Cowdery, QC, requesting
a test case in the Court of Criminal Appeal.
This would enable the Government to push for a series of sentencing guidelines for courts so criminals found with guns are
given stiffer penalties.
Mr Debus will also seek co-operation from Chief Justice Jim Spiegelman
to find a suitable test case within the next two months.
[B]"It is necessary for courts to be more stringent because there are just too
many guns on the streets," Mr Debus said. "We want to be able to
respond to the problem because we don't want an American-style gun
culture in NSW.[/B]
"The courts have not been recognising the seriousness of the problem,
and that's why we are seeking a [B]sentencing guideline.[/B] (That means zero tolerance, get it?)
[B]"There are too many more guns around the community now, and we do
have to send stronger messages."[/B]
The Government revealed its intentions to impose harsher penalties while
announcing the Cabramatta anti-crime package on May 30.
[B]It has moved to transfer significant gun offences, such as possession of prohibited weapons and pistols, from magistrates to
judges in higher courts, where the penalties are tougher.
The new laws also include the compulsory registration of all firearms frames to curb the trade in trafficking of illegal firearm
parts, giving police the power to demand all firearms for inspection from suspected arms dealers.[/B]