Regulating firearms

Tabled Report 8: 2020–21

Tabled date

2020-11-27

Report year

2020-21

Justice and public order

Entities audited

• Queensland Police Service

Recommendations

1. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   evaluates system options to provide a fit-for-purpose Weapons Licensing Management System (firearms register) to ensure timely and accurate recording and transfer of all firearms and licence holders’ information

2. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   implements appropriate controls to ensure firearm licence decisions are consistent and made in accordance with relevant standards

3. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   reviews the Weapons Act 1990 to identify opportunities for improvement and provide greater focus on public safety

4. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   develops clear policy on the role firearm regulation plays in balancing community safety with the rights of applicants and licence holders, particularly regarding public interest

5. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   enhances integration of its weapons licensing systems with its Queensland Police Reporting Information Management Exchange System to enable it to monitor firearm licence holders more effectively

6. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   supplements its random firearm inspections with targeted risk-based inspections

7. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   expands the focus of its compliance monitoring program to include a more comprehensive assessment of firearm owners and their ongoing suitability to possess firearms

8. QAO's text Addressed to: the Queensland Police Service

   establishes processes to ensure all identified non-compliance and licence holder suitability is monitored, reported, and actioned within a reasonable timeframe

9. QAO's text Addressed to: proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This

   proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This should include creating an electronic register of persons that use firearms at shooting ranges to ensure they are appropriately vetted

10. QAO's text Addressed to: proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This

    ensures that it is immediately notified electronically of the sale, transfer, and disposal of firearms by amending the Weapons Regulation 2016 to

    • allow electronic notification of ownership and disposal transactions
    • require all dealers to implement electronic systems to facilitate the electronic transfer of firearms sales, transfers, acquisitions, and disposals

11. QAO's text Addressed to: proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This

    develops a proactive compliance program for audits and inspections to ensure it regulates dealers effectively

12. QAO's text Addressed to: proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This

    monitors the transfer of interstate firearms to ensure the location and ownership of firearms in Queensland is accurately captured in the firearms register

13. QAO's text Addressed to: proactively inspects shooting ranges to ensure compliance with relevant standards. This

    eliminates the backlog of firearm transfer forms to ensure the location of firearms in the firearms register is up to date and accurate.

Authoritative report — Queensland Audit Office

Report PDF on QAO