With thousands of lives saved by reduced rates of gun homicide and gun suicide, we know how wonderfully successful the gun laws introduced after the six gun massacres in 1987 and the two gun massacres of 1996 have been. We refer to the combination of these stricter gun laws as the National Firearms Agreement (NFA).
It is a tragedy for the Australian public that several shooter groups try to conceal the truth about the success of our improved gun laws. Such deceptions discredit our governments and those who have been killed in gun massacres. It also reduces respect for our laws, and there can be great danger in this.
The ABS figures on rates of gun deaths from homicides and suicides per 100,000 for the period 1915 to 2006 show us that:
* Post-Hoddle Street, Queen Street, etc Gun Massacres (1987)
In the years following the decision by Australian governments to bring in stricter gun laws after the six gun massacres in 1987, the rate of gun homicide and gun suicide were considerably reduced.
* Post-Port Arthur and Hillcrest Gun Massacres (1996)
The declining rate of gun homicide and gun suicide was consolidated and became more obvious following the 1996 NFA improvements.
* Reduction in Gun Deaths – Homicides
The average rate of gun homicide in Australia in the decade before the start of the post 1987 stricter gun laws is approximately 0.6 persons per 100,000 population. The average rate over the five years 2002-2006 is approximately 0.16 persons per 100,000 population.
This means that about one quarter the number of Australians now die in gun homicides compared to the days before the NFA.
Taking Australia’s population at 22 million, it means that over the five years 2002-2006 about 90 fewer Australians have died in gun homicides each year compared with what would have been the case prior to governments introducing stricter gun laws after the 1987 gun massacres and after the 1996 gun massacres.
* Reduction in gun Deaths – Suicides
The average rate of gun suicide in Australia in the decade before the start of the post-1987 stricter gun laws is approximately 3.2 persons per 100,000 population. The average rate over the five years 2002-2006 is approximately 0.8 persons per 100,000 population.
This means that approximately one quarter the number of Australians now die in gun suicides compared to the pre-1987 days (prior to Australian governments enacting stricter gun laws based on the public’s concern with gun deaths). As academics Andrew Leigh and Christine Neill said in their 2010 research, published in the American Law and Economics Review:
“We find that the buyback led to a drop in the firearm suicide rates of almost 80%, with no significant effect on non-firearm death rates.”
Our estimation is that over 400 fewer gun suicides now take place each year because of the success of the stricter gun laws.
Summing Up
We therefore praise the success of the National Firearms Agreement. All Australians should be proud of the Hawke ALP and Howard Liberal/National governments that led the way in introducing the stricter controls. The State and Territory governments that supported such initiatives also deserve praise.
It’s no surprise that several shooter groups choose to deceive the public about this success. Fewer gun deaths each year may mean little to those with vested interests in gun activities, but we see that attitude as selfish, callous and lacking integrity.