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Australia. 1996 ‘Uniform Standard for the Security and Storage of Firearms.’ Special Firearms Meeting - the 'Nationwide Agreement on Firearms'; Section 8. Canberra: Australasian Police Ministers' Council. 10 May

Relevant contents

Uniform Standard for the Security and Storage of Firearms

Council resolved that all firearms and ammunition be stored in secure conditions as follows:

- it should be a precondition to the issuing of a new firearms licence (and on each renewal of licence in respect of existing licence holders) that the licensing authority be satisfied as to the proposed storage and security arrangements;

- legislation should have the effect of making failure to store firearms in the manner required an offence as well as a matter that will lead to the cancellation of the licence and the confiscation of all firearms;

- measures should be indicated in legislation for the storage of firearms which are specific and clear so that firearm owners and possessors know their obligations and the following minimum basic standards should apply:

- Licence Category A and B: storage in a locked receptacle constructed of either hard wood or steel with a thickness to ensure it is not easily penetrable. If the weight is less than 150 kilograms the receptacle shall be fixed to the frame of the floor or wall so as to prevent easy removal. The locks fitted to these receptacles shall be of sturdy construction;

- Licence Category C, D and H: storage in a locked, steel safe with a thickness to ensure it is not easily penetrable, bolted to the structure of a building; and

- all ammunition must be stored in locked containers separate from any firearms.

- should a firearms owner or possessor wish to store firearms through measures other than those indicated in legislation, he or she would have the burden of persuading the firearms regulatory authority that he or she can provide the level of security not less than that required by the relevant approved practices;

- in order to govern safekeeping when firearms are temporarily away from their usual place of storage, legislation could provide a statement indicating reasonable precautions to take to ensure the safekeeping taking into consideration situations most likely to be encountered. A basic standard that should be included in the statement is that the holder of the licence "must take reasonable care to ensure that the firearm is not lost or stolen and must take reasonable care to ensure that the firearm does not fall into the hands of an unauthorised person"…

[The APMC Resolutions are also commonly known as the 'National Firearms Agreement,' or NFA].

ID: Q988

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