"DEAR MEMBER,
THE WEAPONS LICENSING
BRANCH OF THE QUEENSLAND POLICE SERVICE
THANKS YOU FOR YOUR RECENT PARTICIPATION IN
THE FIREARMS AMNESTY. THROUGH YOUR EFFORTS,
A NUMBER OF WEAPONS WHICH HAD BEEN
UNREGISTERED AND UNKNOWN TO US ARE NOW
REGISTERED.
WE
NOW ADVISE THAT YOU ARE TO BE
PROSECUTED FOR UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF THE
ITEMS WHICH YOU REGISTERED IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THAT AMNESTY ..."
Sound
implausible? Well, wake up Muggins, this is
the Smart* State. Here's the facts:
25.08.00 - Member receives
written permission from WLB that
unregistered weapons may be surrendered to a
licensed firearms dealer by a person on
behalf of the original owner, if the
original owner wished to remain anonymous.
The person surrendering the weapon may then
legally acquire the weapon onto their
weapons act license.
23.09.02 -
The Member surrenders a
fully functional Intratec Tec DC9 semi auto
pistol offered to him by a unlicensed
person, then legally acquires it with a
permit to acquire under the unofficial
amnesty.
04.04.03 - In
accord with this "unofficial amnesty", and
after surrendering numerous unregistered
weapons in this manner, the
Member
surrenders to a licensed firearms dealer a
incomplete Intratec AB10 semi auto pistol
offered to him by a unlicensed person. The
Member then legally
acquires this weapon off this dealer with a
permit to acquire.
11.04.03 -
One week later the Member
is raided by OCIG who claim they are doing a
'weapons audit'. All handguns in the
Member's possession are examined and
photographed, including the AB10 acquired
one week before.
01.07.03 -
Handgun buyback begins. The
Member declines to
hand in the registered AB10, which is the
only example in QLD.
29.06.04 -
The
Member places the
AB10, less spare parts common to his
registered weapon, in the custody of a
licensed firearms dealer.
22.10.04 -
Appeal begins; The Member appeals
against WLB ruling, seeking to establish
that the AB10, already on the Member's
collector's licence, is a collectable
firearm. During the course of the
proceedings, the Magistrate makes an
indication of his intention to find, and
asks WLB if they wish to concede. They
decline, and the part-heard hearing is
adjourned until February 2005, ostensibly to
complete the WLB case.
22.11.04 -
The Member is
offered a concealable IMI UZI firearm, and
registers it under the official amnesty
15.12.04 -
Following comments in the Media by Police
Minister Judy SPENCE to the effect that
after the official amnesty ends, there will
be no more firearms amnesties, the
writes to the Minister, Judy SPENCE,
enquiring whether an "unofficial amnesty"
would still continue after the official
amnesty ends.
31.12.04 -
The Official amnesty ends.
11.01.05 -
Ten days after the official amnesty ends,
the
Member is raided by
OCIG and WLB, who confiscate all registered
firearms in his possession, including
weapons and spare parts which had been
registered under the official amnesty.
24.01.05 -
Judy SPENCE replies to the
correspondence. You be the Judge of what she
says.
(Download the Police Minister's Letter)
22.04.05 - In
a newsletter to licensed firearms dealers
from the WLB, Police Minister Judy SPENCE
thanks everyone for participation in the
official amnesty, and confirms the
unofficial amnesty still continues.
03.06.05 -
The
Member is charged
with unlawful possession of the Intratec Tec
DC9 and the spare AB10 bolt, which was part
of the AB10 registered under the unofficial
amnesty, and unlawful possession the other
weapon registered under the official
amnesty.