Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Justice. I refer to this email from your office to Senator Leyonhjelm's office, dated 12 August 2015 at 10.36 am, which confirms the minister and Minister Dutton, on behalf of the coalition government, agreed to insert a sunset clause on the banning of—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If the Leader of the Opposition could put the email down. You have made your point. I will ask you to repeat the last part of the question.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I refer to this email from your office to Senator Leyonhjelm's office dated 12 August 2015 at 10.36 am, which confirms the minister and Minister Dutton on behalf of the coalition government agree to insert a sunset clause on the banning of particular lever action shotguns in exchange for Senator Leyonhjelm's support in the Senate. Does the minister consider it acceptable that he was prepared to trade off John Howard's gun laws in order to secure support for legislation in the Senate?

Government members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on my right do not need to yell out 'time'. I interrupted the Leader of the Opposition to get him to put the email down. I am well aware of the clock. The Minister for Justice has the call.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yet again, the opposition leader shows he has absolutely no understanding of what he is talking about—no understanding whatsoever. Let me explain to the House—now there is nothing new in that email, by the way; this has all been on the public record for a very long time—when we pass the regulation through the Senate to restrict the import of lever action shotguns, with a magazine capacity of over five, on a temporary basis—this has always been a temporary ban until the states come to an agreement about where to classify the gun—we had a conversation with Senator Leyonhjelm, and, yes, as part of that conversation we will put a sunset clause on that particular regulation.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Justice will just pause for a second or take a seat. I am trying to listen to the minister's answer. The member for Gorton and others keep interjecting. I am going to eject them if that is what it requires for me to listen to the answer. If the member for Gorton and others on my left want me to adjudicate on the questions from the Leader of the Opposition, I need to be able to hear the answer. The Minister for Justice has the call.

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. We have already passed this regulation that was a temporary ban on the import of lever action shotguns, with a magazine capacity of over five, as part of a conversation we had with Senator Leyonhjelm.

Ms Butler interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Griffith can leave under 94(a).

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We put a sunset clause on that regulation. This is not unusual. Governments put sunset clauses as a break at any particular point so you can have another conversation about what you might do going forward. That is exactly what we did in this case. The government have always been 100 per cent clear in our position that we will restrict their import until we get an agreement with the states about where they were to be classified. I would have very much liked that that conversation was concluded within those 12 months, but it was not; so we have subsequently extended the ban until we reach that agreement. It is very straightforward. It is very simple. If Labor had any idea about what they were talking about then they might just get it. I repeat—

Mr Brian Mitchell interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Lyons can leave under 94(a).

Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

what is important in terms of public safety and guns in Australia is that we are as strict as possible on the illegal firearms market. It is the black market for guns that represents the most significant risk to public safety. The reason we have the NFA and the reason that we restrict weapons of a high capacity or of a high calibre is that we do not want those weapons moving from the legal into the illegal market. It is the illegal market that we need to be tough on if we are going to ensure public safety.

When Labor were in office we of course saw an instance where 200 Glocks we imported through an Australia Post office in Sylvania Waters. We were determined when we came to office that we were not going to let that happen. We were going to crack down on what was important for public safety, which is the illegal firearms market, and we have been stymied in that objective by an obstinate Labor Party that refuses to join with us to get that done.