Firearm Reforms

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA says the Cook Labor Government’s response to the Parliamentary Committee report into the Firearms Act 2024 is a clear admission the legislation was mishandled from the start.

Mr Love said while the Government had agreed to some recommendations, its long awaited response failed to address the real problems facing thousands of licensed firearm owners trying to navigate the new system.

“From the very beginning this legislation has been botched,” Mr Love said.

“The rushed process and lack of genuine consultation created confusion and left law abiding Western Australians feeling like they were being treated as criminals.”

Mr Love said the Committee hearings exposed serious unintended consequences of the new laws that the Government had failed to properly address.

“We heard evidence that mandatory health assessments are discouraging some people from seeking mental health care, particularly in regional areas where services are already stretched,” he said.

“We also heard that many GPs are reluctant to participate because of unclear responsibilities and legal concerns, on top of existing doctor shortages and heavy workloads across Western Australia.”

Mr Love said the Government’s decision to reconvene the Health Assessment Working Group was an acknowledgement that the mandatory mental health assessment model was flawed.

“If the system was working, the Government would not need to go back to the drawing board.”

Mr Love said the Government had also failed to properly respond to the Committee’s recommendation for a dedicated funding stream to help sporting shooting clubs comply with the new laws.

“Shooting clubs are vital community organisations across Western Australia, but many will struggle to meet the new requirements without targeted financial support,” he said.

Mr Love said the inquiry also revealed ongoing confusion around licensing arrangements for conservation volunteers and veterinarians, with potential consequences for pest control and the humane euthanasia of injured wildlife.

“The Government has thankfully admitted there needs to be an education strategy regarding this.”

“Much of this chaos could have been avoided if the Government had taken the time to properly consult with the firearms sector before forcing these laws through Parliament.”

Mr Love said the Committee recommendations did not go far enough to fix what remains fundamentally flawed legislation.

“It’s the bare minimum the Government implements these recommendations and still leaves major issues unresolved.”

“The Cook Labor Government created this mess, and it is their responsibility to fix it.”

Mr Love said The Nationals WA would continue to stand with law-abiding firearms owners across the State.

A major overlooked impact of the Labor Governments rapid and vapid Firearms Inquiry is the calamitous effect it will have on the overall health of those in regional WA.

Under the legislation which was introduced before the Inquiry reported back (try and work that out), those wishing to hold a firearms license must front-up to a GP for a general health assessment called a Firearms Authority Health Assessments (FAHA).

This assessment puts the onus on doctors to try and gauge whether, say, a farmer or a professional shooter, is healthy enough to hold a license. Even if they have safely owned and operated a firearm for decades.

As many of the 2670 submissions made clear, this new layer of regulation will only create an environment in which firearm owners are tempted to hide their mental health status for fear of being turned down – and “turned in.”

Furthermore, the Assessment has the potential to create mental health stress where none currently exists.

To ask busy GPs to provide individual health assessments to the police is patently absurd. It is akin to asking mechanics to start reporting people who they think are dangerous drivers.

The Nationals were amongst the first to support the Law Reform Commission’s review of Firearms laws in place prior to the Firearms Act 2024.

We took the view that if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

Instead, the Labor Government used the Floreat shooting tragedy as a pretext to rush through more regulation. It was a textbook political stunt.

The fact is, the Police already had the powers to prevent the Floreat tragedy. They just failed to use them.

More red tape was superfluous and not supported by medical expertise.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) raised a multitude of problems which remain unaddressed, the basis of which is that risk assessments are inherently uncertain and unreliable in predicting future risk.

They maintain that no evidence exists to say they work.

Additionally, the Royal College submitted that:

• Health Assessments undermine existing GP-patient relationships, prompting patients to potentially avoid or delay seeking medical help for fear of losing their licence.

• With more than 80,000 licence holders in the State (half residing in rural areas), firearms assessments add significant workload to an already stretched rural GP workforce which accounts for only 20 per cent of WA GPs.

• Firearms licenses are not covered by Medicare, forcing applicants to bear the cost of their assessment which, depending on complexity, may be substantial.

• GPs may need to refer individuals to non-GP specialists (psychiatrists, geriatricians, physicians, occupational health providers), for further assessment. Long wait times in rural and public settings will compromise the entire process.

• Despite assurances from the Cook Labor Government that doctors are protected from civil or criminal liability, medical practitioners suspect they will be forced to defend clinical decision-making in the courts – potentially years after decisions have been made. On that note, an RACGP poll conducted amongst 1,300 doctors last year found that 80 per cent were unlikely to participate in the process.

The pro-Government weighted Firearms Inquiry Committee completely dismissed the concerns of this learned and reputable stakeholder audience: namely, Doctors and Mental Health Commissioner, Maureen Lewis.

The only positive development is the Inquiry’s recommendation to refer the Report to a reconvened Health Assessment Working Group.

This week, I moved a motion which calls on the Government to implement all of the Firearm Committee’s recommendations, particularly those related to health.

As it stands, there are deep structural flaws in the rushed firearms reforms, and they need to be ironed out so honest, law-abiding firearms owners are not treated like common criminals.

Regional gun owners have enough on their plates without having to subject themselves to unnecessary and laborious assessments. And regional doctors, already a rare and diminishing species, need more work like a hole in the head.

The muted response to the release of the Cook Government’s firearms inquiry is a clear sign that its sensationalist approach to law-making is beginning to wear thin.

Despite attempts to dramatise the release of the Standing Committee on Legislation’s report into the Firearms Act 2024, the public and media quickly recognised the reality — the inquiry’s report could and should have been conducted before the new laws even came into effect, but instead, what emerged is a review that highlights serious failures in the way WA Police implemented the reforms.

No one disputes the need for thoughtful, robust firearms controls. The Nationals WA share the shock and grief of every West Australian in the wake of the Floreat tragedy. But it must be said plainly: that tragedy stemmed not from a lack of rules, but from failures by those who held the power and authority to act. Police already had powers available to act — powers that, tragically, were not used.

The Nationals WA have always supported strong, sensible firearms laws that protect the community. Firearm owners across this State made clear what was at stake: their livelihoods, their hobbies, their communities, and their dignity. Many do not recoil from regulation — they welcome clear, fair, enforceable rules. The Western Australian Clay Target Association was right to remind media that sport shooting has world-class standards: Australians excel at it, and we gladly support its place in our society.

What is most disappointing about this report is the lack of genuine engagement with the 2670 submissions and two weeks of public hearings. Much of that evidence came from the lived experience of people whose livelihoods depend on the fair and workable operation of the firearms system. Their contributions were thoughtful, detailed and solutions-focused — yet they were largely overlooked and dismissed.

The inquiry also sidestepped the growing concern within the medical community about the proposal to make general practitioners responsible for mental-health assessments within the licensing process.

The report also shines a spotlight on the implementation mess. Portal crashes, conflicting instructions, data errors, and unexplained delays have all plagued the rollout. Portal security and reliability concerns have already been flagged by industry and users alike and WA Police have faced criticism for offering inconsistent support and communication to licence holders in the lead up to March.

When implementation itself becomes the culprit in systemic failure, you do not get the benefit of structural reform, you get chaos masked as progress.

This report was a missed opportunity — an opportunity to restore trust, improve implementation, and deliver reform that is both practical and proportionate. Instead, it has left the firearms community no clearer about what comes next.

West Australians deserve clarity, fairness, and predictability well before next year. A response due in February 2026 is unacceptable. The firearms community deserves certainty before the year’s end.

The Nationals WA will continue to stand up for sensible reform, genuine consultation, and a process that respects both community safety and the rights of responsible firearm owners.

We will monitor every stage of implementation, demand transparency at each turn, and press for amendments when the system fails those who hoped it would succeed. This is not about denying regulation — it’s about demanding regulation that works.

If the Government follows its usual pattern, flawed legislation will roll out quietly, corners cut, mistakes rationalised, and voices silenced. The firearms sector, having supported us at the ballot box, deserves more than window dressing. They deserve laws that respect them, not punish them.

This inquiry report is not the reform it promised — it is a placeholder for unfinished business. We call on the Cook Government to act now: release its response before year’s end, commit to implementing sensible recommendations, and show that this Parliament will not be used as a stage for politics over policy.

Leader of The Nationals Shane Love MLA has expressed his disappointment at the Parliamentary Committee report into the Cook Labor Government’s contentious new firearms laws, labelling it a “sanitised and partisan” report that fails to reflect the depth of concern raised by thousands of Western Australians.

Mr Love said the Labor-Greens dominated Committee had largely ignored the overwhelming evidence provided by nearly 3,000 written submissions and two weeks of public hearings.

“This is yet another example of Labor’s contempt for the process of Parliament, law abiding firearms owners, and the people of Western Australia,” Mr Love said.

“While a handful of recommendations are welcome, the report sidesteps the real issues at the heart of these laws – the lack of consultation, the rushed legislative process, and the Government’s continual failure to listen.”

“This report should have happened before the legislation was passed in Parliament, not over a year later.”

Mr Love said from the beginning, the Cook Labor Government had treated the firearms sector with contempt.

“Instead of holding the Government to account for creating these problems, the Committee has confined itself to commenting on the superficial consequences that have followed since the laws took effect in March,” he said.

“If Labor had delivered meaningful consultation and followed proper Parliamentary process, many of these problems could have been avoided altogether.”

Mr Love said it was particularly concerning to see the Committee downplay critical issues raised during the hearings including the lack of consultation with stakeholders, contradictory advice provided by WA Police, the mandatory mental health checks dissuading individuals from seeking help, a portal that is not fit-for-purpose, or licenses for conservation shooters or volunteers to humanely euthanise injured animals.

Mr Love called on the Government to urgently respond to the report’s recommendations, rather than waiting until next year.

“If the Government follows the usual timeline, they won’t have to respond until February 2026. That’s unacceptable. The firearms sector deserves clarity and certainty before the end of the year,” he said.

Last week, the public hearings into Labor’s new Firearms Act wrapped up, and what they revealed should concern every Western Australian.

Instead of delivering fair and workable reform, the Cook Labor Government has rammed through laws riddled with flaws, rushed into effect without proper consultation, turning the lives of law-abiding West Australians upside down.

The Nationals WA are the only Party that has stood shoulder-to-shoulder with WA’s 90,000 law-abiding firearms owners since day one. We followed every minute of the hearings, listening carefully to evidence from across the State and the nation.

Much of what we heard confirmed what firearms owners already know – arbitrary limits on firearms, a bungled online licensing portal, and inconsistent, often contradictory, advice from WA Police.

But we also heard troubling new evidence about the unintended consequences now unfolding – problems which could have been avoided if Labor had bothered to listen in the first place.

The elephant in the room, however, was the Police Minister’s refusal to front up. From the outset, Labor has dodged scrutiny on these laws — gagging debate in Parliament, blocking proper consultation, and now avoiding accountability at the inquiry.

When it was announced that the new Police Minister, Reece Whitby MLA, would give evidence, many hoped it would finally provide answers, or at the very least, accountability.

Farmers, conservation groups, traditional owners, health professionals, and regional communities all wanted to hear how the Minister planned to fix the mess he helped create.

But instead, at the eleventh hour, the Minister pulled out, blaming an “administrative error” by the Committee.

That excuse leaves us with only two possibilities. Either a Labor-led Committee somehow failed to follow the most basic process despite being staffed by experienced Parliamentary officers, or, more likely, the Minister deliberately avoided facing the heat.

Either way, it’s unacceptable. These laws are already impacting thousands of families, businesses and communities, yet the Minister responsible couldn’t even show up.

And if the Committee really had made a mistake, they could have easily corrected it by recalling the Minister for another hearing. That didn’t happen, and the pattern is becoming impossible to ignore.

Labor has been ducking accountability on these laws from day one, and the public can see straight through it.

The Committee hearings laid bare the real-world damage these rushed laws are already causing.

One of the most troubling examples came from the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen’s Association (KPCA). CEO Bron Christensen gave powerful evidence about how the new laws are stigmatising mental health across the north.

Farmers told her they no longer feel safe speaking openly about their struggles.

At this year’s KPCA conference, organisers could not find enough participants for their usual mental health panel, not because the issues have gone away, but because farmers feared admitting to stress or depression might cost them their firearms licence.

This is a chilling outcome. One in five Australians experience mental illness during their lifetime. In regional WA, where mental health services are already scarce and suicide rates higher, it is often your local GP who becomes the first point of support.

But under Labor’s new laws, that same GP is now also the gatekeeper for your firearms licence. Instead of encouraging people to seek help, these laws risk driving them further into silence.

The hearings also exposed serious consequences for animal welfare. Farmers may be able to euthanise stock on their own land, but not if their truck rolls on the highway.

Vets and even government rangers face impossible choices when dealing with injured wildlife – act quickly and humanely, but risk losing their firearms licence for doing so.

Traditional owners, pastoralists and conversation shooters told similar stories. Longstanding pest management programs are under threat because of new restrictions on firearms use on crown land.

Others are losing licences over old, non-violent traffic offences that have no bearing on their fitness to own a firearm.

Sporting shooters are being saddled with unrealistic requirements like having a first aid officer on site just to open their ranges – yet another example of Labor’s fundamental mistrust of the shooting community.

The Nationals WA raised all of these concerns in Parliament. Labor ignored them, determined to ram through its laws before the next election. Now the damage is plain for all to see.

It should never have come to this. Proper consultation, proper scrutiny, and a willingness to listen could have avoided these mistakes. Instead, the heavy-handed approach of the Cook Labor Government has created fear, confusion, and unintended harm right across WA.

The Parliamentary Committee now has nearly 3,000 submissions and two weeks of public evidence to consider before reporting on 16 October.

It is a mammoth task, and the people of WA will be watching closely to see if this Labor-led Committee truly listens.

Because the truth is clear – these laws are rushed, they are flawed, and they are already failing the communities they claim to protect.

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA has raised serious concerns about the mental health impacts of Labor’s Firearms Act, following the second day of public hearings in the Legislation Committee review of the laws.

Health professionals told the Committee that the mandatory health assessments required under the legislation are complex and risk creating harmful unintended consequences.

“We heard today that some people are choosing not to go to their GP to access mental health care because they fear losing their firearms licence,” Mr Love said.

“This is particularly troubling in regional and remote communities, where mental health challenges and higher suicide rates are already a reality.

“If the system is discouraging people from looking after their wellbeing, then we have got it very wrong.”

The Committee was also told that many doctors are unwilling to take part in the process, with a poll of 1,300 GPs showing that 80% are unlikely to participate.

“Doctors are being asked to assess not only clinical conditions but also to predict, at a single point in time, whether a patient might one day misuse a firearm,” Mr Love said.

“This is an unreasonable expectation, especially given there are no clear standards for making these assessments — unlike the well-established system for driver’s licence medical checks.”

While GPs are legally protected, the Committee also heard that many are concerned their professional reputation could be at risk if a person they assess as suitable later goes on to misuse a firearm.

“The potential for personal damage weighs heavily on GPs, and if a case is reported in the media, they can also experience professional and reputational harm.”

Mr Love said the hearings showed the current approach was deeply flawed.

“These laws are placing impossible demands on already stretched regional GPs while creating barriers to essential mental health care.

“The Government must urgently listen to this feedback and make changes to ensure the Firearms Act does not inadvertently harm individuals or further strain our health system.”

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA said the first day of public hearings into Labor’s Firearms Act has laid bare a litany of problems caused by the Cook Government’s rushed and heavy-handed legislation.

Mr Love said community safety organisations told the Committee that confusion, poor communication from WA Police, and failures with the online firearms portal were undermining confidence in the new laws.

“When respected organisations like Injury Matters and the Alannah and Madeline Foundation are raising concerns about the rollout and calling for more resources for WA Police, it shows just how badly this process has been bungled,” Mr Love said.

Mr Love acknowledged the role the community groups who attended the hearings played in advocating for victim-survivors impacted by family and domestic violence.

“The Nationals WA have always supported the strengthened family and domestic violence provisions in the Act, and it was valuable to hear from these organisations around their views,” Mr Love said.

Shadow Agriculture Minister Lachlan Hunter has slammed the Cook Labor Government’s bungled firearms reforms, warning they could cripple vital animal control and biosecurity efforts across regional Western Australia.

It follows revelations from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) that the State’s Animal Control Agent program—which relies on trained volunteers to humanely euthanise injured wildlife—is now at risk because volunteers have been excluded from the new licensing arrangements.

“The Government’s failure to properly consult has left a huge gap in our ability to respond to injured wildlife and manage feral animal threats on the ground,” Mr Hunter said.

“Volunteers who have operated safely and effectively for years are being sidelined. It’s not just a red tape issue—this has real consequences for animal welfare and rural biosecurity.”

Mr Love said the hearings exposed a stark gap between the glowing reports government agencies gave about WA Police, and the reality described by outside groups.

“Conservation groups described dealing with WA Police as frustrating and contradictory, with one person even spending three hours on hold seeking answers. It’s no wonder there is a lack of trust,” Mr Love said.

Mr Love said he welcomed the decision to expand the Parliamentary Inquiry into Labor’s heavy-handed Firearms Act to include public hearings and thanked all who attended.

“These hearings are an opportunity for the truth to come out. Labor’s firearms laws are deeply flawed, rushed, and damaging, and the evidence is piling up for all to see.”

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA has welcomed the decision to extend the Parliamentary Committee inquiry into the Cook Labor Government’s contentious firearms laws, saying it highlights the rushed and chaotic way the laws were introduced.

The Standing Committee on Legislation sought a seven-week extension to the Firearms Act 2024 inquiry in Parliament this week, taking the reporting date from 28 August to 16 October 2025.

Mr Love said the extension was necessary after the Committee received an “extraordinarily high” number of public submissions.

“Despite the inquiry not being widely advertised, more than 2,600 submissions were lodged in less than a month,” Mr Love said.

“That level of response shows just how much community concern exists about Labor’s new heavy-handed laws.”

Mr Love said the initial three-month timeframe was never realistic.

“The three months originally allocated didn’t allow time for a single public hearing with any of the 140 stakeholders identified,” he said.

“While the extension is welcome, this situation was entirely predictable. The Nationals WA had called for a six-month inquiry from the outset to ensure proper scrutiny of the legislation and its impacts, particularly in regional communities who are bearing the brunt of these new laws.”

Mr Love criticised the Cook Labor Government for pushing ahead with the legislation before the inquiry had even begun.

“Labor has arrogantly ignored the concerns of thousands of law-abiding firearms owners by rushing these laws through Parliament, and then trying to implement them before the inquiry had been completed,” he said.

“The sensible approach would have been to pause the regulations – as supported by every party except WA Labor and the Greens – until the Committee had finished its work. Instead, WA Labor has put the cart before the horse, and these laws may now have to be rewritten once the inquiry reports in October.”

Mr Love said the extension gave the Committee more time, but it did nothing to ease the uncertainty facing WA’s firearms community.

“For thousands of law-abiding firearms owners, gun clubs, dealers, and sporting shooters, this drawn-out process is frustrating and unfair,” he said.

“All they are asking for is practical, evidence-based laws and genuine consultation. If the Cook Labor Government had worked with the community from the start, this inquiry would not have been necessary.”

The Cook Labor Government has doubled down on its arrogant approach to Western Australia’s firearms laws, after the Legislative Council today voted down a motion to disallow the deeply flawed regulations by just two votes.

The motion sought to halt the regulations and force the Government back to the drawing board – creating an opportunity to develop laws that are practical, evidence-based, and shaped through genuine consultation with the community.

Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA said the result showed Labor’s outright refusal to listen to the law-abiding Western Australians they know they have unfairly targeted — and the willingness of the Greens to help them do it.

“Labor teamed up with the Greens to block this motion, delivering a slap in the face to thousands of Western Australians who just want workable laws that let them enjoy the sport they love or use the tools they need to earn a living,” Mr Love said.

“The Nationals won’t stand by while a group of people in our community are singled out and treated like criminals for political gain by this Government.”

Mr Love reaffirmed The Nationals WA’s unwavering commitment to standing up for fairness, common sense and respect.

“We will continue to fight for practical, evidence-based laws which will not punish those who are doing the right thing,” Mr Love said.

“This fight is far from over – and together, we will keep pushing until Western Australians are given the fair and workable firearms laws they deserve.”