Subject: URGENT - SWORD BANS TO BE IMPLEMENTED!
Folks,
The news is all bad!
Note that on page 11 of today's Herald Sun (Tuesday, 9/3/04) Police
Minister Andre Haermeyer has announced that his proposed sword ban of last
year will now go ahead.
The article notes that people with a "legitimate reason" will be able to
have swords, but they must have a permit, and the swords must be kept
"under lock and key and have a burglar alarm." This is supposedly so that
"swords do not fall into the wrong hands." Indeed, it would appear that
swords will now be treated like firearms, and a de-facto registration
system will also apply. There is no mention as to how much this will all
cost sword owners at this stage, although an indication was given in last
year's Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS).
The Government's official media release
(http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/4A256811001D7 ... w?OpenView) notes
that the ban will become effective as of the 1st of July, 2004, and that
fines of up to $12,000 or six months in jail will apply. Swords will become
prohibited weapons, making it illegal to use, carry or possess them without
a permit.
Categories of persons and groups will be established for some exemptions to
be granted, but the storage requirements will still apply. Both individuals
and groups will be able to apply for exemptions. The definition of what a
'sword' actually is has not yet been finalised.
Police Minister Haermeyer said in his media release that last year's RIS
had provided "valuable feedback" which had been "assessed". The media
release then says "It's clear that the majority of Victorians back the push
to keep swords off the streets," implying that respondents to the RIS had
agreed with the Government's position, which we clearly know not to be the
case. The release then goes on to say "The feedback we have received from
stakeholders has been valuable ..." further cementing the implication that
stakeholders agree with what is proposed. This is disingenuous media at its
best!
The Herald Sun article also notes that the Government is also considering
banning crossbows, but that machetes will remain as Controlled Weapons.
Once again, thousands of innocent persons will now be victimised by this
new regime. The already lawless will continue to remain lawless and the
real issues that are bringing about societies slide into senseless violence
still fail to be addressed by Governments with apparently little
understanding of the issues that are affecting today's society. Indeed, if
they do understand the issues, then they are deliberately failing to both
acknowledge and address them.
The banning of swords (because of the fact that they have been around for
multitudes of centuries) highlights even more so than the banning of
firearms (a more recent invention) that it is in fact the mind of the
individual user and of the collective culture that is the real problem
rather than the 'weapon' itself. Therefore, the banning of the 'weapon'
will not solve the problem as 'weapon substitution' will be the result, as
we have already seen. One doesn't have to be too clever to figure that out
- and then machetes will have to be banned as well, along with tomahawks,
kitchen knives, etc, etc!
Here we go again!
Yours sadly,
David Barton
Electorate Officer to
Bill Sykes MP
Member for Benalla
Ph: 5762 2100 Fx: 5762 4478
Victorian Govt to Ban Swords!
Moderator: Moderators
Victorian Govt to Ban Swords!
don't forget siccors, fish hooks, knittin needles and pencils!
all you guys out there with a bit of 4 x 2 lying round the back yard with a nail stickin out, better run for the hills before the feds come knockin!
either that or move to queensland, they let their crims outta prison!
cheers
Buford the Daft
all you guys out there with a bit of 4 x 2 lying round the back yard with a nail stickin out, better run for the hills before the feds come knockin!
either that or move to queensland, they let their crims outta prison!
cheers
Buford the Daft
Stupid TV! Be more funny!