South-west gun owners rush to buy safes to comply with new laws

Warrnambool Diving and Firearms has seen demand for the purpose-built safes almost triple in the past couple of months.

Owner Brian Brumley said while there were some supply issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he had been able to meet the needs of firearm owners ensuring they would meet the requirements of new laws.

A new law was introduced on Tuesday requiring all firearms be stored in a steel container that is at least 1.6mm thick, purpose built and has a sturdy lock. If less than 150 kilograms when empty, the unit must be bolted to the structure of the premises.

Mr Brumley said the most popular choice for firearms owners had been mid-size safes, which range in price from $500 to $1500.

"They've been reasonably difficult to source but we've been lucky that we've been able to keep up with demand," he said.

Warrnambool police acting divisional firearms officer Leading Senior Constable Mal Agnew told The Standard earlier this year people storing their firearms in bolted clothing lockers or hardwood safes would need to urgently begin making plans to upgrade.

Leading Senior Constable Agnew said a common mistake made by licensed gun-holders was storing ammunition in the same location as firearms.

He said cartridge ammunition must be stored in a locked container separate from guns.

Victoria Police Acting Superintendent John Cahill, who oversees the firearm Licencing and Regulation Division, said new laws are about strengthening community safety, and not about "catching people out".

"At the end of the day, we want people to be compliant and take their firearm safely," he said.

"We recognise the unique situation with farmers that they need their firearm accessible and at the end of the day it's the individual's responsibility to make sure firearms can't be stolen or accessed by someone else.

"We do see farmers who put their shotgun on the backseat of their car and might go into town and get stolen and in those circumstances you have to say the individual failed in properly securing their firearm."

According to Victoria Police data, between 700-1000 firearms are stolen from licensed gun-holders each year, with a significant portion of those taken from rural properties.

Acting Superintendent Cahill urged farmers to evaluate their properties to determine suitable locations where a gun safe could be installed, warning against storing firearms in remote areas.

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