First Biennial Meeting of States on the Implementation of the Program of Action of the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Lights Weapons in All its Aspects

Statement by H.E. Mr Peter Tesch Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations

New York 7 July 2003

I would like to thank you, Ambassador Inoguchi, and the UN Department for Disarmament Affairs for your tireless efforts and open approach to preparing for this biennial meeting, which is an important opportunity to take stock of progress in implementing the Program of Action and to reinforce our determination to address the menace of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. We should reflect on lessons learnt and build on cumulative efforts to enhance our mutual understanding and cooperation so that these measures take wing.

National Measures

Madam Chairperson

With the enactment of the Australian Government’s major firearms reforms in 1996, Australia acquired one of the world's strictest set of firearms controls. Fundamental to these is the principle that access to a firearm be based on “genuine need” (a full account of this legislation was included in our national report). But the Government is fully aware of the need to continually evaluate and improve national controls. With an effective legislative framework in place, our focus has turned to achieving greater consistency in the regulatory and enforcement regimes of the states and territories of Australia to minimise the scope for criminalexploitation. We are also continually enhancing our expertise in intelligence gathering and analysis to better identify and target areas of developing risk.

As part of the ongoing process of re-evaluating national measures, in 2002 the Government developed a National Firearm Trafficking policy, which includes

• new laws prohibiting interstate trafficking in firearms and providing substantial penalties for illegal sale and possession.
• increased powers for law enforcement authorities to detect and prosecute firearms traffickers.
• improved federal customs and border controls to detect illegally imported handguns.
• stricter monitoring of firearms dealers.

Firearms storage and armoury security also is a key issue for Australia. Authorities continually review the adequacy of safe storage compliance and audit arrangements and emphasise firearms owners’ obligations to safely store firearms. Dealers are subject to strict limits on the number of handguns they can keep in stock, to reduce the risk of theft from commercial stockpiles.

In response to a serious firearm incident in October 2002, the Australian government agreed on wide-ranging measures to control community access to handguns, in particular reducing the circulation of concealable handguns.

The results of the Government’s continuous efforts to analyse, and where necessary change, its firearms policy have been overwhelmingly positive. Death and injury from firearms in Australia, already low by international standards, have decreased substantially over recent years.

Firearms murder has decreased from 99 incidents at a rate of 31.7 percent of homicides in 1996, to 49 incidents at a rate of 16 percent in 2001. Firearms related deaths have declined from 523 in 1996 to 331 in 2000.

The Australian Government is confident its recent reforms will reinforce earlier measures and represent a proper balance between public safety and the pursuit of legitimate sports shooting and firearms collecting activities.

Consultation with all national stakeholders will remain a key feature of the Government’s outreach efforts.

Regional Measures

Madam Chairperson

Building on the success of its efforts at home, Australia is committed to working with regional partners and civil society to address the challenge of small arms proliferation in our region. In particular, Australia has taken an active part in efforts to develop model legislation on weapons control in the Pacific region.

At a meeting Australia co-hosted with Japan in January 2003, Pacific Island states agreed to advance efforts to conclude the model legislation for a regional approach to weapon control. A model Weapons Control Bill will now be tabled at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders meeting to be held in Auckland in August 2003, with a strong recommendation that member countries adopt it.

Furthermore, the Australian Defence Force has been assisting Pacific Island countries to implement more effective stockpile management practices and to improve the physical security of armouries. For example, Australia has funded the construction of four new PNG Defence Force armouries and upgraded three existing armouries in an effort to improve small arms security. We will discuss the stockpile management issue in greater detail during this meeting’s thematic debate.

Australia supports increased transparency as a confidence-building measure in regional and international contexts and is pleased to announce it will increase the transparency of its defence exports – our export report will include a specific category on small arms exports.

My delegation looks forward to sharing information on Australia’s legislation and policy with other member states this week and to a productive meeting under your able chairing.