Wednesday, 23 September 2026

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:00): (1493) My question is for the Premier. In my first question in this place in 2015, I asked what the Victorian government intended to do about further restrictions on the state’s licensed law-abiding firearms owners. I then asked whether the government accepted that those people should not be punished for the actions of criminals. Eleven and a bit years later, after successive rounds of additional regulation and most recently legislation imposing new citizenship requirements and costly national security checks on people who have already been licensed and vetted, I find myself compelled to ask essentially the same question. Will the Premier acknowledge that continually imposing new restrictions, costs and uncertainty on licensed firearms owners does not address the criminal misuse of firearms and commit his government to targeting criminals rather than again punishing those that obey the law?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:01): I thank Mr Bourman for his question to the Premier and his consistency. I have got images of firearms bookends in my head. I am very happy to pass on your question to Premier Carroll.

 Jeff BOURMAN (Eastern Victoria) (12:01): I thank the minister for her bookends comment – actually it was pretty good. After 11 years, can the Premier identify a single instance in which imposing further restrictions on Victoria’s licensed law-abiding firearm owners has prevented a criminal from obtaining or misusing an illicit firearm?

 Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Minister for Energy and Resources, Minister for Environment, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for the State Electricity Commission) (12:01): Thank you, Mr Bourman, for your supplementary question. I will pass it on.