Butler wants review of newgun laws
Member for Barwon Roy Butler has raised concerns about new guns laws being considered by the NSW parliament.
Mr Butler, who represents the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFF), said that some parts of the bill “were troubling to the SFF” and would make things difficult for rural people with guns.
Appearing on 2WEB’s Outback Mornings, Mr Butler told Chris Dover that people normally have a right to silence – to not provide police with the passwords on their phone and computers.
But under the new laws Mr Butler said that if police believe there is something in your house that could be used for illegal manufacturing of firearms, they would have the right to search your premises, computers and mobile phones.
“All farms across NSW would have lathes and drill presses and pieces and metal lying about that could be seen as precursors to the manufacture of firearms,” Mr Butler said.
“So, any farmer or farm worker could be caught up by this legislation.
“Being forced to hand over a computer or phone is not something I want to see happen to innocent people living in western NSW who have no criminal intent.
Mr Butler said that where there are criminals out there holding illegal firearms – I say go for it – arrest them and hit them with the full force of the law.
“But there is no procedural fairness in passing laws like this,” Mr Butler said.
“For example, if you lose the front sight off your licensed, legal .22 rifle and you then make up a new sight, that is technically making a firearm part, and you could be caught up in these new firearm laws.
Mr Butler say that he has asked the NSW Police Minister to clarify the intended laws.
“Because the last thing I want to see is law abiding people who are going about their normal business being caught up in a law designed to catch criminal syndicates” Mr Butler said.