Cooke: 'petitioners call to be treated fairly'

NSW's firearms laws were back in focus last Thursday when members of parliament spoke on an online petition calling on the Legislative Assembly to ensure that firearms policy and legislation is proportionate and evidence based. Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke was among the members of Parliament who spoke on the firearms e-petition on Thursday. "It’s not every day a petition with 98,000+ signatures reaches the floor of the NSW Parliament," Ms Cooke said, "The NSW Parliament is ‘The People’s House’, and that’s why we’ve seen such a strong reaction from communities in response to the Government ramming through gun reforms that unfairly target law-abiding citizens, such as our farmers, with no prior consultation." During Thursday's debate in the Legislative Assembly, Ms Cooke spoke in support of the petition and commended the Member for Barwon, Roy Butler for bringing it to the House. "The overwhelming response speaks for itself. Many people signed so quickly that the parliamentary system reportedly crashed under the weight of it," Ms Cooke said. "This petition matters because it is measured, reasonable and clear. It does not ask this House to go soft on crime, terrorism or extremism. In fact, it explicitly recognises that licensed firearms owners in NSW are already subject to the most rigorous background checks, ongoing compliance regulations and obligations, and strict regulatory oversight." Ms Cooke said the petition also clarifies that law-abiding firearms owners support stronger oversight of terrorist and criminal activities, as well as tougher penalties for such acts. "The petitioners' request is simple: Do not link licensed, law-abiding firearms owners with terrorism or extremism; and ensure that firearms laws and regulations are proportionate, based on evidence, and clearly differentiate between lawful citizens and criminal or terrorist actors," she said. "In the Cootamundra electorate, firearms are used by primary producers, pest controllers, sporting shooters and families who have followed the law for generations. "They are hardworking, law-abiding people. They are not seeking special treatment, but they are asking to be treated fairly. They also urge the Parliament to understand the practical realities of life outside the city," Ms Cooke "That is why I held a round table in Junee with clubs and stakeholders from across my electorate." Ms Cooke said what these stakeholders shared was practical, informed and constructive. "They spoke about arbitrary firearm caps that do not reflect real on-farm needs, mandatory club membership that will hit farmers with extra costs and travel, volunteer-run clubs being buried in paperwork, uncertainty about heirloom and ceremonial firearms, and serious concerns over whether the Firearms Registry has the capacity to handle the workload," Ms Cooke said. "Those clubs are not faceless organisations; they are community institutions run by volunteers and are part of the fabric of rural and regional NSW." "The Government should stop blurring the line between the law‑abiding and the lawless, stop making city-centric decisions for rural and regional communities without proper consultation, and stop pretending that unfair, blunt and rushed laws are the same as public safety," Ms Cooke said. On Tuesday, 24 March, prior to the petition being debated, the Labor government has taken a shot at the NSW Coalition to explain to the people of NSW where they stand on gun laws, and whether they will go to the next election committed to repealing or retaining these important reforms, after splitting on the floor of Parliament. "The Coalition had a chance to stand united and reaffirm their support for stronger gun laws following the worst terror attack in Australia’s history on Bondi Beach," Yasmin Catley, Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism said. "But instead, they split on the Government’s motion to support the strengthened firearms laws which were passed with bipartisan backing in December." In response, Ms Cooke has said the state currently has an arrogant Government asleep at the wheel, and you only had to watch this debate to recognise it. "My position, and that of the NSW Nationals, remains unchanged. Unlike the Government, we’re listening to our constituents and acting in their best interests," Ms Cooke said. "We know that rushed laws are bad laws, and while my colleagues and I have been actively engaging with our communities to understand the consequences of this legislation in practice, the Government continues to legislate inside an echo chamber of its own ideas." Ms Catley said the legislation increases oversight and minimises risk, ensuring police have the tools they need to oversee firearms in NSW, while reducing the number of guns in the community. "These laws include limits on the number of firearms for licence holders, restrictions on certain firearm types, stronger licence checks and accountability measures, and enhanced storage, compliance and oversight requirements." "The people of NSW deserve certainty when it comes to community safety," Ms Catley said.