The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) welcomes the $161.3 million commitment to establish a National Firearms Database over the next four years.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said the announcement would be welcomed by the over 65,000 police officers nationwide working tirelessly to keep Australia and its many communities safe.
“The AFPA has been campaigning for a national firearms database since 2018.
“The National Firearms Database will be a central hub of data, allowing real-time information sharing across the country. It means that a police officer stationed in Broome, Western Australia, can retrieve almost immediate data relating to firearms registered in Tasmania.
“The database will improve operational awareness and safety for police officers across the country. We believe that this will also aid licensed firearm owners and dealers in reducing the red tape involved with transferring firearms across state and territory borders. The current system is slow, unreliable, and sorely needs technological improvement, which the new database will provide.
“We thank Attorney-General Dreyfus for moving this initiative forward. Since the recommendations from the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy were released, there have been calls for a National Firearms Database. Nearly 30 years later, there is light at the end of the tunnel due to the efforts and coordination made by the Attorney-General,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA believes that the National Firearms Database can be used in coordination with other national databases such as the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme and the judicial system to better protect people.
Mr Caruana said police would be able to cross-reference data and provide more information to the judicial system that could be used in bail or domestic violence order adjudications.
“Cross-referencing information from multiple databases, in near real-time, will yield better intelligence for law enforcement and highlight risks that were previously very hard to identify.
Such information could also be shared with the judicial system to assist in their decision-making,” Mr Caruana said.
For comments: AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager – Mr Troy Roberts – 02 62651788 – media@afpa.org.au
The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) welcomes the $161.3 million commitment to establish a National Firearms Database over the next four years.
AFPA President Alex Caruana said the announcement would be welcomed by the over 65,000 police officers nationwide working tirelessly to keep Australia and its many communities safe.
“The AFPA has been campaigning for a national firearms database since 2018.
“The National Firearms Database will be a central hub of data, allowing real-time information sharing across the country. It means that a police officer stationed in Broome, Western Australia, can retrieve almost immediate data relating to firearms registered in Tasmania.
“The database will improve operational awareness and safety for police officers across the country. We believe that this will also aid licensed firearm owners and dealers in reducing the red tape involved with transferring firearms across state and territory borders. The current system is slow, unreliable, and sorely needs technological improvement, which the new database will provide.
“We thank Attorney-General Dreyfus for moving this initiative forward. Since the recommendations from the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy were released, there have been calls for a National Firearms Database. Nearly 30 years later, there is light at the end of the tunnel due to the efforts and coordination made by the Attorney-General,” Mr Caruana said.
The AFPA believes that the National Firearms Database can be used in coordination with other national databases such as the National Domestic Violence Order Scheme and the judicial system to better protect people.
Mr Caruana said police would be able to cross-reference data and provide more information to the judicial system that could be used in bail or domestic violence order adjudications.
“Cross-referencing information from multiple databases, in near real-time, will yield better intelligence for law enforcement and highlight risks that were previously very hard to identify.
Such information could also be shared with the judicial system to assist in their decision-making,” Mr Caruana said.
For comments: AFPA Media and Government Relations Manager – Mr Troy Roberts – 02 62651788 – media@afpa.org.au
