Review triggers gun law fears
The Tasmanian Government has denied plans to water down the state's gun laws.

The National Coalition for Gun Control says the Government is moving away from nine-year-old national gun laws reached after the Port Arthur shootings.

The coalition's chairman, Roland Browne, says the move is revealed in documents obtained under freedom of information laws.

Mr Browne says the Government appears to be pandering to the pro-gun lobby.

"But regrettably it's now quite clear that the Tasmanian Government is looking to move away from that agreement," he said.

"In particular they want to abandon the 28 day cooling off period for the purchase of subsequent firearms and they're also looking at opening up the use of firearms for minors down to the age of 12 so that they can use them out in the bush."

National gun laws were changed in 1996 after the Port Arthur shootings.

"The reality is the Government's thought that we've had a period of about nine years with relatively few firearms incidents so the time's right for them to water the gun laws down."

The Minister for Police and Public Safety, David Llewellyn, says there is no intention to water down gun control measures.

Mr Llewellyn says the Government will not be changing the 28-day cooling off period, which is designed to prevent impulse buying of guns.

He says the review is continuing and no decisions have been made.

If you live in Australia I highly encourage you to lobby the Taz Govt.

CRC