Given that guns are designed to kill something, are inexpensive and are very easy to fire; ask yourself the obvious questions.

1. Should shooters be trained in gun laws, safety procedures and attitudes?
2. Should they be trained thoroughly and be required to pass stringent tests?
3. Should they know about the damage privately owned guns have caused the public?

You would think that every reasonable person would say ‘Yes’ to these questions. Leaders of some shooting organisations seem to say ‘No’ to the second and third questions.One must presume that they want it to be as easy as possible to get a gun by legal processes. Disappointingly, most Australian state governments make it easy to get a gun by having short shooter training periods and extremely easy to pass exams. In Victoria, for instance, 99.9% of shooters pass their safety training test. Is it a test or is it a giveaway?

To their credit the federal government and the Australian Police Ministers Council have decided to develop a new shooter training course. Their 30 page proposal is titled ‘Minimum National Standards for Firearms Safety Training’. The Core Module, ‘Firearms Legislation, Firearms and Community Safety’, has to be taken. Its nominal duration is four hours and its contents (on page 6) are:

LEGISLATION
* Definition of firearm under the appropriate State/Territory legislation
* Applying for a firearms licence
* Purchasing or acquiring a firearm
* Disposing of a firearm
* Purchasing ammunition
* Dispatching and transporting a firearm
* Licensing conditions related to possessiion of a firearm
* Conditions affecting the modification of any attribute of a firearm
* Securely storing firearms
* Carriage of firearm in public place and on private property
* Conditions which constitute a breach of the law affecting the use of firearms

FIREARMS SAFETY
* Firearms terminology
* Basic parts of a firearm
* Types of firearm actions
* Inspecting a firearm to determine condition and whether loaded
* General safety rules for the handling and use of firearms
* Strategies to enhance personal safety when using a firearm
* Ballistics and environmental conditions affecting safe shooting

COMMUNITY SAFETY AWARENESS
* legal and social responsibilities
* consequences of firearms misuse
* duty of care and rendering assistance obligations
* behaviour and physical and mental conditions which increase risk of firearm accidents or injuries

We take this latter topic, ‘Community Safety Awareness’, and note that on page 10 it reads:

CORE MODULE – LEARNING OUTCOME 3

3. Explain safety concerns relating to firearms use and ownership within the community.

3.1 Explain the broader legal and social responsibilities which apply to people using firearms

3.2 Describe circumstances in which firearms use may be dangerous to the community

3.3 Explain the potential public health consequences arising from firearms misuse

3.4 Describe circumstances relating to a person’s behaviour, physical and emotional well being in which firearms may be dangerous

3.5 Explain duty of care to render assistance obligations

3.6 Explain environmental and animal welfare ethics and responsibilities associated with shooting activities

3.7 Demonstrate an awareness of medical assistance required in the event of firearms accident/injury

We argue that these seven points are a crucial aspect of a worthwhile safety training program. The history of gun tragedies in Australia shows us that many irresponsible people obtain guns legally. We know, for instance, that the majority of multiple death shootings in Australia during the period 1987 to 1997 were committed by licensed shooters. We also have police evidence that about half the gun owners in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs appear to illegally store their guns. It is crucial that new shooters know just how damaging guns can be to public safety and just how careless shooters can become.

Some gun leaders want to ignore the tragic history of private gun ownership in this country. This must not happen. Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past. All this important learning takes time.

The new course in shooter safety training should take a minimum of 10 hours. Exams should require at least one hour’s written assessment and should be taken at TAFE Colleges throughout Australia.