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Renewed gun debate in Australia 20 years after mass shooting

20 Comments
By ROD McGUIRK

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My half Japanese, half American daughter did went to high school in Gold Coast. Soon after she got there, imagine her surprise at witnessing a shooting inside Robina Towne Square. It was a bikie-on-bikie shooting, and the guy didn't die, but she was so freaked out that it would happen in "gun-less" Australia.

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@Peter Payne when was Australia ever gun-less?

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If you allow any nutter access to guns you will end up with the type of mass shootings common in the US. Anyone who argues for restrictions on gun ownership to be eased should explain why the lives of the school children who will inevitably be massacred as a result are less important than allowing the mentally ill to own guns.

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I remember when the story broke about this mass shooting, a few weeks after the exact step on the Bryant the shooter was revealed. One story that stood out was a man who lost his wife and two children, she was walking along the rd when Bryant drove up to them shot the mother and toddler in the pram, the older girl ran into the trees to hide Bryant followed found and shot her point blank. the father was playing golf close by at the time and heard gun shots thinking it to be hunters when it was most probably his family and other being murdered

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a gunman with two semi-automatic assault rifles who methodically took headshots in a Port Arthur, Tasmania, cafe on April 28, 1996, killing 35 people.

In response, the Australian government severely restricted ownership of semi-automatic firearms, pump-action shotguns and other rapid-fire weapons.

“Because there was a change in gun laws that controlled the manner in which firearms are dealt with in Australia.”

Sen. Bridget McKenzie wants to undo the safety and protections that serve All Australians. Shame on her and her despicable thirst for slaughter.

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Just take a look around you and you will see how much more pleasant life is in gun-less societies! Easy choice!

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Anyone who argues for restrictions on gun ownership to be eased should explain why the lives of the school children who will inevitably be massacred as a result are less important than allowing the mentally ill to own guns.

Probably their only valid explanation would be that they're also mentally-ill gun nutters as well.

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Lever-action guns are difficult to make. =When Remington bought out Marlin there were big quality problems with Marlin(Remington) lever-actions. I have serious doubts that Turkey can manufacture a quality lever-action. Seems to be a popular Australian political gun issue, but I have never even heard of Adler.

You can get a full-auto Beretta, Remington shotgun for less than the $800 Adler and it will perform much better. The Saiga 12 (big 12) has always been a solid contender and it has clips.

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“have some serious methodology behind the decisions we’re making rather than, ‘Oh, that looks scary, therefore it must be bad.’”

How on Earth is that statement an example of a "despicable thirst for slaughter." It's okay to be passionate about a subject but when you let your dogma off its leash and start getting all hyperbolic, it actually diminishes your voice in any kind of meaningful conversation.

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Adrian Kistan wonders if the father he lost in the Port Arthur massacre would be alive today if stricter gun laws had been in place at the time. He takes some comfort that the tragedy led to changes.

And now Sen. Bridget McKenzie wants to undo the safety and protections that serve All Australians?

That's the definition of a thirst for slaughter.

Twenty years of a safer Australia and Sen. Bridget McKenzie stands in judgement of letting lunatics have any gun they want?

That is also the definition of off the leash and as far as "meaningful"?

Meaningful is Sen. Bridget McKenzie can wave bye-bye to her Government pay check.

Bye-bye Senator Slaughter.

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“Whenever a firearm type is restricted, the arms industry does its best to circumvent the law,” he said.

Sounds like the war on drugs. A failure. No matter what, people will get their hands on a gun if they want too.

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No matter what, people will get their hands on a gun if they want too. - comments

There is no 'war on guns'.

There is a war on ignorance.

There is a gun fetish sponsored and cultivated by the gun industry.

There is good reason to regulate guns,

Count twenty dead childen and six teachers in Connecticut, December 14, 2012.

Count thirty-five Australians executed in a cafe on April 28, 1996.

Count the innocent and injured and show how guns are some diety tool everyone should have to kill their neighbor or children in a school.

Guns are as natual as the rain.

Why regulate the rain?

It brings life, just like every gun ever made.

These are gods guns and no human has any right to question the guns gods made.

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There is no 'war on guns

Never said there was. (......obviously you're very belligerent on this topic because you hate guns.)

I'm just simply pointing out that people can get contraband if they want to. Drugs, guns, whatever. If there's a will, there's a way. (Bang! Bang! ur dead)

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belligerent: NOUN, a nation or person engaged in war or conflict, as recognized by international law.

Another emotion word.

Senator McKenzie wants to undo the safety and protections that serve All Australians.

Instead of emotion, that's a very good reason to relieve Senator McKenzie of the burden of her emotional feelings for gun regulation. Regulation that she seems incapable of understanding. Bye-bye Government pay check, hope that's not too emotional a loss for Senator McKenzie. Maybe a dead child would help bridge Senator McKenzie back to the reality of gun slaughter. It did for thousands in Australia.

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These gun ownership advocates in Australia are fighting a losing battle. They're inventing a solution to a problem that not only doesn't exist, but would in fact become a problem if introduced. No self-respecting Aussie would ever consciously support relaxation of gun ownership

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Having 500 choices to buy a gun is bad, but I do believe that everyone should be free to buy a shotgun and a rifle. Handguns are for criminals mostly.

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I do believe that everyone should be free to buy a shotgun - comments

Including the criminally insane and mentally deficent. FREEDOM!

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Including the criminally insane and mentally deficent. FREEDOM!

Including gang bangers who repeatedly go in-n-out of jail, only to commit another drive-by shooting. Or illegal immigrants committing shootings throughout the US.

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Including the criminally insane and mentally deficent. FREEDOM!

I think it's time for your medication. Even Japan have hunters, and a few on this board.

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ZERO

"That's how many mass shootings Australia has had since the strict gun control laws went into effect. Furthermore, the gun murder rate fell 72 percent to 0.15 per 100,000 people in 2014 from 0.54 per 100,000 people in 1996. The gun murder rate in the U.S.? 3.4 per 100,000." - Reuters

As posted: "Senator McKenzie wants to undo the safety and protections that serve All Australians."

"Sen. David Leyonhjelm, a vocal gun proponent, complains that Australians have become “disarmed victims.” - article

Victims of a safer and more civilized life?

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