Virginia Tech media comment

FOLLOWING last week's tragic Virginia Tech shootings, how many times were we
told that guns - and not people - kill people? When the media allocates
blame, everyone except the actual perpetrator makes a good candidate.
Pictures of actor Charlton Heston flashed across our screens, as if the
former president of the National Rifle Association was responsible. The
pundits never explain why massacres don't occur at sporting shooters' clubs.
Or why, just four days before the Virginia Tech shootings, thousands
of gun nuts descended on St Louis, Missouri, and not a single gunshot was
fired in anger.

Instead, we heard the same, monotonous message: A similar massacre could
never happen in Australia because our culture and constitutional
arrangements are different. Never mind that Martin Bryant murdered a greater
number of innocent people in the 1996 massacre in Port Arthur. And never
mind that Huan Yun Xiang carried five guns in to Monash University in 2002,
killing two fellow students. Since we don't enjoy a constitutional right to
bear arms and have no gun culture, who is to blame?

Charlton Heston? The Australian gun lobby? Laws for the concealed carrying
of guns are present in some form or another in 48 US states, and serious
research (most notably by Professor John Lott of the State University of New
York) consistently demonstrates their deterrent effect. And yet the media
told us the deterrence argument was illogical. There is nothing illogical
about the principle involved: The possibility that a student might be able
to protect themselves puts doubt in an attacker's mind and acts as a
deterrent. Allowing university security staff to carry concealed weapons on
campus merely extends this principle. Instead of it being illegal for campus
security guards to carry firearms, it should be compulsory. It is all about
deterrence.

NEWS RELEASE

NEW KATES-MAUSER REPORT ON FIREARMS AND CRIME

BELLEVUE, WA - The Second Amendment Foundation today said a new report by
criminologists Prof. Don Kates of the United States and Prof. Gary Mauser of
Canada that shows the rate of firearms ownership is irrelevant to the
homicide and violent crime rate should be required reading, especially for
reporters, editorial writers and elected representatives.

Appearing in the current issue of the Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy
(pages 649-694), the Kates/Mauser report entitled "Would Banning Firearms
Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International Evidence" is a detailed
look at gun ownership and how it does not relate to the incidence of murder
and violence. They conclude that "nations with very stringent anti-gun laws
generally have substantially higher murder rates than those which allow
guns."

"The Kates/Mauser research strips bare the claims by gun control proponents
that America is more dangerous than other countries because of our right to
keep and bear arms," said SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb. "What these two
seasoned researchers have revealed is that some of the most violent
countries in Europe are those with the most stringent gun laws. It seems
hardly a coincidence that here in America, the highest crime rates are in
places with strict gun control policies, such as Chicago and Washington,
D.C. However, in areas here and abroad with high rates of gun ownership
violent crime rates are lower.

"The authors note an earlier study by Kates that showed a declining murder
rate over the 25-year period from 1973 to 1997, while overall gun ownership
increased 103 percent and handgun ownership went up 163 percent," he
continued. "Yet during that period, the murder rate dropped 27.7 percent."

Gottlieb said the timing of this report's release in the Harvard Journal of
Law & Public Policy is significant due to the renewal of the gun control
debate following the recent events at Virginia Tech.

"Kates and Mauser make a solid factual case against all the emotion-laden
rhetoric from the gun control crowd," Gottlieb stated. "While their research
will obviously not close the debate, they've made a strong case against the
traditional anti-gun mantra. Gun ownership is not the problem, and this new
report proves it."

JOHN CROOK, PRESIDENT, GUN CONTROL AUSTRALIA

ALEX PARRY: Since Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech University, that saw 33 killed, the debate on gun control has again become a hot topic, both in the United States and back here in Australia. Owen Lindsay investigates.

REPORTER: This morning a package from gunman Cho Seung-Hui arrived at a newsroom in the United States, in which he declared that there were 100 billion ways that his killing spree at Virginia Tech could have been avoided.
Indeed, police and the university reaction to the massacre has been criticised for its slow and disorganised initial response.
Ross Campbell is Chief Executive of Ross Campbell and Associates, an international crisis management consulting firm that specialises in crisis response and prevention in Australian universities and schools.
I asked Mr Campbell what he thought of the police response at Virginia Tech on Monday.

ROSS CAMPBELL: Without being critical, in the US it is a complicated process in all crises, because there are so many agencies in that country that deal with response.
But importantly, you wouldn't evacuate two city blocks in Adelaide or Melbourne or Sydney if you had a shooting in one building.

REPORTER: And are Australian campuses prepared in the event of a shooting spree?

ROSS CAMPBELL: Many are. Many have plans and have practised plans. And when I say plans, they have, they - I'm talking about integrated crisis management and emergency response plans. And others are in the preparatory stage. Importantly, many universities have rehearsed the scenario; have checklists; and integrated evacuation processes; and have worked alongside emergency services - law enforcement people - to, to provide rapid response.

REPORTER: So, are Australian universities and the government structure, is it more equipped to deal with these crises than the American system do you think?

ROSS CAMPBELL: Well I'd like to think it is, and I'd go on record to say that I believe it is, because I think we have a far better first response structure in Australia, based more on the British system, which we've seen work in London during the bombings. We have one central agency - that's the police - who take command. It's not a combination of four or five police forces or agencies. The police take command and they have very clear and precise response processes to use. And I think we're the better for it.

REPORTER: Do you think that the further restriction of gun law in Australia is part of an overall prevention strategy?

ROSS CAMPBELL: I'd like to think it is. The arrangements that have been made here since the massacre in Tasmania, I think have assisted in reducing the sorts of events that we are watching happening in the United States.

REPORTER: Not everyone is calling for a further tightening of gun control in Australia.
Dr Janine Baker from the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia says that we should be wary of politicising the American tragedy at home.

DR JANINE BAKER: I think it would be very very unwise for us to do anything with our laws in response to what happened in another country operating under different laws.
In terms of our Australian gun laws, we a re undergoing a review now, and I think we probably should. Because if you remember in 1996 when John Howard brought in his national fire arms agreement, it was brought in in 12 days. That is very unwise, because any legislation needs to be based on sound evidence-based policy and not on a rapid knee-jerk response.
I think if Australia laws were made stricter, it would make no difference to our situation here. We have ample evidence in Sydney that criminals are obtaining hand guns; they are obtaining them through illegal channels, they're not obtaining them through the legal channels. So, we have a vast circulation of unregistered, unlicensed fire arms that never belonged to a licensed fire arms owner, which anyone who is really really determined could possibly get hold of.

REPORTER: But John Crook, President of Gun Control Australia, disagrees.

JOHN CROOK: Shooter groups, like the Sporting Shooters Association, who want to break our gun laws; take away gun registration; take away limits on hand guns; are in my opinion the most anti-social and dangerous type of groups that Australia has recently seen outside of course of certain criminal drug-related gangs.

DR JANINE BAKER: If we focus alone on the fire arm, we're missing a vast number of people who die and we're not looking at why they die. And I think that's an important thing. We need to look at why. And this even relates back to mass murder. Mass murder by any means, we need to look at why it's occurring. But we've had evidence of Martin Bryant with his troubled history, and it appears now that the gentleman in Virginia, who committed the recent crime, also had a troubled history, and that's where we need to put some focus.

JOHN CROOK: Too many of the wrong people are able to get guns. And every shooter should realise that our gun laws are still weak enough to allow the wrong type to get guns.

REPORTER: And as public opinion rages on both sides of the gun control debate, it seems that Australians can be thankful for one thing - that we're not in America.

JOHN CROOK: American citizenry have shown they want stricter gun laws. They just have weak politicians. And, I don't think there's been a weaker leader of America than Bush younger - the one we've got now.

DR JANINE BAKER: Do I sympathise with the NRA? I do sympathise with them in the terms that they have a very complex issue to deal with. WE have to bear in mind that they are dealing with the American situation, not the Australian situation. So I may well disagree with them on their philosophies and ideologies .

ALEX PARRY: Dr Janine Baker there, ending that report on gun control from Owen Lindsay.

Radio Adelaide (Adelaide), The Wire, 19/04/2007 05:31PM   Compere: Alex
Parry
In the wake of Monday's massacre at Virginia Tech, the debate on gun control
has again become a hot topic in both in the United States, and in Aust.
Campbell is involved in an International Crisis Management Consulting firm
specialising in crisis response and prevention in Australian universities
and schools. He mentions his views on the police response in Virginia and if
Australian campuses are prepared. He mentions our systems in place in Aust.
Baker says we should be aware of politicising the American tragedy at home
in Aust. She says we are reviewing the gun laws in many States. Crook
disagrees with the laws. Baker says we need to look at why murders are
happening.
Interviewee: Dr Janine Baker, Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
Interviewee: John Crook, President, Gun Control Australia
Interviewee: Ross Campbell, CEO, Ross Campbell and Associates

2LM (Lismore), Breakfast, 20/04/2007 07:54AM   Compere: Neil Marks
Janine Baker, Sporting Shooters Association, believes there is a legitimate
use for firearms in society provided they are regulated. She is concerned
that the calls by the anti-gun lobby is that they are using an event that
occurred in another country under different laws to try and influence what
is happening in Australia.
Interviewee: Janine Baker, Sporting Shooters Association.

4BC (Brisbane), Breakfast , 20/04/2007 06:36AM   Compere: Peter Dick & Ross
Davie
Comperes discuss the standards of the media, in the light of the school
college shooting in the US. Dick and Davie agree that no one seems to have
any standards anymore, and that everyone is just out to produce the biggest
shock to their listeners or readers. Dick says the Courier Mail has a big
picture of the shooter pointing a gun, and Davie says he wouldn't want his
children to see that. Comperes ask for listeners' opinions on media
standards. Davie says that seven out of eleven of the most severe gun
massacres ever had taken place in countries with lax gun laws, like the US
and Switzerland. - Caller Carl thinks the photos in the media of the shooter
in the Virginia massacre is highly inappropriate. - Caller Judy thinks it's
appalling, and the amount of coverage is ludicrous. - Caller Justin is
relieved that it is never going to happen here because of Howard's stricter
gun controls. - Caller Pam thinks the media coverage is pure sensationalism
and worries about its effect on children.

ABC Illawarra
ABC Illawarra (Wollongong), Mornings, 19/04/2007 08:49AM Compere: Nick
Rheinberger
Roland Brown from the National Coalition for Gun Control discusses the gun
debate and says high powered guns such as used in Virginia should be banned.
Brown says Australia banned semi-automatic guns and have not had a mass
shooting since 1996. The Monash University shooting is mentioned. He says
high powered handguns can now be purchased and kept in people's homes. He
says single shot guns should only be sold as these are used in most sporting
events.
Interviewee: Roland Brown, National Coalition for Gun Control.

ABC Southern Queensland
ABC Southern Queensland (Toowoomba), Mornings, 19/04/2007 08:46AM Compere:
Belinda Sanders
The world was shocked and saddened by news of the recent Virginia Tech
shooting. The gunman used a 9mm and 22 calibre handgun. Where are these guns
used in Australia and what restrictions apply to them? Bob Green, Sporting
Shooters Association of Australia, describes the uses of the two guns. He
says Police buy the 9mm guns. The general public needs to have a full
history check and serve a length of time in a club, under supervision of
others. Every five years they'd have to show they've followed the club's
rules and would have to reapply for their licence. The restrictions are
tougher on hand guns because they're easily concealed. Many handguns were
bought back from World War 1 and 2. The guns can only be used on a range,
have to be locked up in a house and can't be used for other purposes than
sporting competitions. Australia has some of the toughest pistol laws in the
world. It would take between 12 and 6 months for a person to purchase this
type of firearm. Most misuse of handguns is with those purchased illegally
through the black market. In England where bans on handguns are in place,
the rates of misuse have gone up.
Interviewee: Bob Green, Sporting Shooters Association of Australia.

Student killer known to police:
Wednesday Apr 18, 2007Illicit photos: Cho 'used phone to snap women'. The
young man responsible for the Virginia Tech massacre came to the attention
of police as early as 2005 for incidents ranging from stalking women to
setting fire to a dormitory.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=261732

2CC (Canberra), The Drive Show, 18/04/2007 03:12PM Compere: Mike Welsh

Welsh discusses the National Rifle Association's slogan 'guns don't kill
people, people kill people'. Welsh says this is as partly right as the
comments by Peter Wheelan, Law Abiding Gun Organisation of Australia, about
self protection weapons. Welsh discusses the comments by Russell Cornwell,
Independent, and his figures of deaths by firearms.

2GB (Sydney), Breakfast, 18/04/2007 06:10AM Compere: Alan Jones
Jones talks about the Virginia Tech University shooting in the US, the note
left behind by the gunman, Cho Seung-Hui, and about his behaviour leading up
to the massacre. Jones says PM John Howard claims tough gun laws introduced
after the Port Arthur massacre separate Australia from the US-style gun
culture. He says the National Coalition for Gun Control in Australia has
called for a ban on semi-automatic hand guns and he asks for people's
thoughts on the NSW Shooters Party.
Mention: Roland Brown, Co-chairman, National Coalition for Gun Control

2UE (Sydney), Nights, 17/04/2007 08:56PM Compere: Stuart Bocking
Sam Lee, Coalition for Gun Control, joins Bocking to discuss Australia's gun
control laws in the light of a US university massacre. She says that
semi-automatic handguns are readily accessible, and describes the process.
She thinks that they should be banned entirely. Bocking says that this would
not be very easy to do, with public outcry and the influence of the
Shooter's Party.
Interviewee: Sam Lee, Coalition for Gun Control
Mention: John Howard, Australian Prime Minister

ABC 702 Sydney (Sydney), Mornings, 18/04/2007 08:47AM   Compere: Virginia
Trioli
Trioli says the events at Virginia Tech yesterday will again inspire debate
on the easy availability of firearms in the US. Trioli says in Virginia
people as young as 12 can be sold firearms. Trioli says according to the
President George W Bush yesterday's event will not be the catalyst for major
change in the US. Trioli notes her guest arrived back in Aust yesterday,
having attended a conference of police chiefs in Chicago where the main
topic of discussion was the trafficking of guns in the US. Trioli says
Philip Alpers is the Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Public
Health, University of Sydney, and was a founding member of the International
Action Network on Small Arms. Alpers says in Aust it took the combined
police ministers of Aust only 12 days to make up their minds about gun
control following Port Arthur. Alpers talks about the gun lobby in the US.
Alpers notes the figures of Americans who do want stricter gun controls,
however says one small association, the National Rifle Association of
America (NRA) is the most powerful lobby group. Alpers says 'shoot first'
laws are being legalised in America. Alpers talks about gun trafficking in
the US. Alpers says our laws in Aust make us a lot safer from an even like
Port Arthur happening again. Alpers says Aust's gun homicide rate is half
what it was before Port Arthur.
Interviewee: Philip Alpers, Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Public
Health, University of Sydney

2CC (Canberra), Breakfast, 18/04/2007 07:22AM   Compere: Mike Jeffreys
Interview with Jason Morrison, current affairs director with Radio 2GB, to
discuss the latest news headlines. Morrison discusses the reaction in
Australia to the U.S. school shooting. Morrison says he disagrees with lobby
groups getting on the back of such tragedies to push their own agenda.
Morrison discusses how anti-firearm groups have called for tighter
restrictions on guns in Australia after the Virginia high school shooting.
Morrison says no one seems to want to tackle the problem with gun control.
[cont]
Interviewee: Jason Morrison, current affairs director with Radio 2GB

ABC 702 Sydney (Sydney), Breakfast, 18/04/2007 07:12AM   Compere: Adam
Spencer
Spencer talks about the fallout from yesterday's shooting at Virginia Tech
in the US. Spencer says firearms laws in the state of Virginia are some of
the loosest in the US. Spencer says Adjunct Associate Professor Philip
Alpers, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, returned yesterday
from a trip to the US where he was speaking with the anti-gun lobby. Alpers
says the Americans don't have a fear of carrying guns, as opposed to in
Aust. Alpers says that after Port Arthur, John Howard moved to get uniform
gun laws across the Aust. Alpers talks about gun laws in Virginia. Alpers
explains why the gun lobby in the US is so influential, and notes it's the
most powerful lobby in congress in the senate.

Channel 7 (Sydney), Sunrise, 18/04/2007 06:44AM   Compere: David Koch &
Melissa Doyle
Mel reads an email on the shooting massacre in the US and Australian gun
laws. Koch explains the US shooter re-armed after shooting two people. How
accessible are guns in the US? The emailer says guns should not be allowed
on campus. Another says he has a gun and objects to being labelled as a
future murderer. Koch says they are not accusing him but it is not the same
in the US. Crikey, a media newspaper, had a list of Virginia gun laws, and
there were virtually none. Another emailer says not all Americans agree with
the gun laws.
2GB (Sydney), Breakfast, 18/04/2007 06:17AM   Compere: Alan Jones
Caller Peter says he is a sporting shooter with a Category H pistols
licence. He says NSW has some of the toughest gun laws and claims tighter
restrictions will only benefit the black market. Jones agrees, asking what
the current gun laws have done to contain crime.

2UE (Sydney), Breakfast, 18/04/2007 06:07AM   Compere: Mike Carlton and
Peter FitzSimons
The hosts talk to Aiden Kurtlew(*), student news director for the Virginia
Tech campus radio station, about the shootings there. Fitz says access to
guns needs to be severely restricted, and he's thankful John Howard bought
back guns after the Port Arthur massacre. Mike says one of the guns was a
Glock, which is a standard police issue gun in Australia, and which you can
buy in Walmart in America.
Interviewee: Aiden Kurtlew(*), Student News Director, Virginia Tech Campus
Radio Station

ABC 891 Adelaide (Adelaide), Evenings, 17/04/2007 08:35PM   Compere: Peter
Goers
Goers talks about the shooting in Virginia and says it's different here in
Australia as our gun laws are much more credible and stronger than in
America.
Duration: 1 mins 07 secs

2UE (Sydney), 19:00 News, 17/04/2007 07:01PM   Compere: Newsreader
Gun lobbyists say that Australia has adequate laws regarding the control of
hand guns. There have been calls for a crackdown following a shooting
massacre at a Virginian college.
Interviewee: Robert Brown, Shooting Party
Duration: 0 mins 39 secs
a
SKY News Australia (Melbourne), News On The Hour, 17/04/2007 06:33PM
Compere: Compere
Prime Minister John Howard has said he will do anything he can to prevent
the gun culture in Australia taking hold. Bon Brown, Australian Greens
Leader says the Government has got to do more. Samantha Lee, Coalition for
gun control asks Prime Minister John Howard to finish what he started in
1996. John watkins, NSW Deputy Premier says we have a totally different
society and approach to guns.

Fresh FM (Adelaide), The Chat Room, 17/04/2007 06:19PM   Compere: Adam &
Jenna
Caller Peter says to be a shooter in Aust you have to have police clearance,
everything has to be locked up with your ammunition in a different safe from
the firearm. He says you can't do anything about crazy people without a
license. Peter says he's a shooter and keeps everything locked up. He says
he thinks gun control in Aust is quite good. Adam says the film Bowling for
Columbine makes it look you can buy bullets from K-Mart. Peter says you used
to be able to buy a .22 from K-Mart here over the counter, but no more.

Fresh FM (Adelaide), The Chat Room, 17/04/2007 06:13PM   Compere: Adam &
Jenna
Jenna says they will be discussing the Family First proposal to raise the
legal drinking age to 20, but now they're discussing the US massacre. Caller
Adam says he's not surprised as the gun laws didn't change after Columbine.
He says the fact that the massacre happened at Port Arthur, shows it won't
just happen in the US. Adam says the Govt had a knee-jerk reaction after
Port Arthur, but he thinks it's a good thing. He says every time they raid a
bikie barracks they find illegal weapons. Jenna says there was a murder by
gunfire last night in Black Forest.
Interviewee: caller Adam

Fresh FM (Adelaide), The Chat Room, 17/04/2007 06:07PM   Compere: Adam &
Jenna
Adam says in the US a gunmen has gone in to Virginia Tech and killed 32
people. Jenna says it lends itself to the Columbine massacre, about which
Michael Moore made the film Bowling for Columbine. Adam says the gunmen had
an argument with his girlfriend, shot her and then went on to shoot others.
He asks if that could happen here. Jenna sys the US has a reputation of
having a loony gun culture. Jenna says the gun buyback scheme took place
here after the Port Arthur Massacre, adding this could just be about mental
health issues.

Channel 7 (Sydney), Seven News, 17/04/2007 06:07PM   Compere: Ian Ross
The Virginia tragedy has reignited the gun debate in Australia. John Howard
has vowed to do whatever it takes to prevent the gun culture in the US, but
lobbyists want action, not words.

Channel 9 (Sydney), National Nine News, 17/04/2007 06:06PM   Compere: Mark
Ferguson
The tragedy in Virginia has brought back memories of the Port Arthur
massacre and has renewed calls for tighter gun control laws. John Howard,
Australian Prime Minister, says you can never guarantee that these incidents
will not occur again in Australia.

NBN Tamworth (Tamworth), NBN News, 17/04/2007 06:04PM   Compere: Natasha
Beyersdorf and Ray Dinneen
Painful memories of the Port Arthur massacre have been brought up following
the tragic university shooting in the US. John Howard, Prime Minister offers
his sympathy. Coalition for Gun Control says the type of gun used in the US
massacre has not been banned in Australia.

6PR (Perth), 18:00 News, 17/04/2007 06:00PM   Compere: Newsreader
Renewed calls for increased gun control in Australia in the wake of the
massacre at a university in the US. Sam Lee, Coalition for Gun Control, says
Australia needs to strengthen its laws to ensure we do not have another mass
shooting here. Brendan Nelson, Defence Minister says gun laws were already
toughened following Port Arthur.
Interviewee: Sam Lee, Coalition for Gun Control

Triple J (Melbourne), Hack, 17/04/2007 05:38PM   Compere: Kate O'Toole
Following today's US shooting O'Toole asks how lax are Virginia's gun laws?
She welcomes Philip Alpes(*), Adjunct Associate Professor of Public Health,
University of Sydney, who has just returned from a speaking tour of the US
on gun control. He says after every school shooting the debate is
depressingly familiar, but never accompanied by major changes to
legislation, and says there is no chance of the type of successful gun
buy-back scheme held in Australia.
Interviewee: Philip Alpers(*), Adjunct Associate Professor of Public Health,
University of Sydney

Radio Adelaide (Adelaide), The Wire, 17/04/2007 05:30PM   Compere: Various
World News Headlines - Thirty-three people are dead following a shooting
spree on the campus of Virginia Tech University in the US. - The latest US
massacre has prompted calls from the Australian Greens Leader, Senator Bob
Brown, top ban automatic pistols in Australia. Also, Australia's National
Coalition for Gun Control has also repeated its calls to ban semi automatic
handguns in Australia.

Channel 10 (Adelaide), TEN News, 17/04/2007 05:05PM   Compere: George
Donikian & Rebecca Morse
World news - America's gun lobby has expressed sympathy over the Virginia
Tech massacre. George W Bush has supported gun owners. In Aust, 35, people
died in the Port Arthur massacre. Howard says his Govt did not want Aust to
have the freedom of gun ownership America has. Browne says hand guns in Aust
should be banned.
Interviewee: John Howard, Australian Prime Minister
Interviewee: Roland Browne, Coalition for Gun Control

Channel 10 (Perth), Ten News, 17/04/2007 05:05PM   Compere: Tim Webster &
Charmaine Dragun
The massacre at Virginia Tech university is unlikely to change gun laws in
the US with gun lobbyists still maintaining their right to bare arms. In
Aust, John Howard, PM, says Aust already showed its resistance to a gun
culture by strengthening gun laws after the Pt Arthur massacre eight years
ago. Roland Browne, Coalition for Gun Control, says Aust has to implement
stronger laws against hand guns .
Interviewee: John Howard, PM
Interviewee: Roland Browne, Coalition for Gun Control

MIX 94.5 (Perth), 17:00 News, 17/04/2007 05:00PM   Compere: Newsreader
John Howard, PM, says an incident similar to the massacre in the US could
happen in Aust but our country has taken precautions with strict gun laws.
Interviewee: John Howard, PM

ABC Gippsland (Sale), Statewide Drive, 17/04/2007 04:38PM   Compere: Kathy
Bedford
Caller Peter from Dookie says stronger gun laws need to be introduced into
America and suggests people in Australia should undergo psychological tests
before they can own a gun.

ABC Gippsland (Sale), Statewide Drive, 17/04/2007 04:36PM   Compere: Kathy
Bedford
Caller Jeff from Ballarat says he doesn't own a gun but if guns killed as
many people in Australia each year as cars do, then he would be interested
to look at the gun laws. He says people with guns kill people. Bedford says
we do have tough gun laws in Australia but in America owning a gun is seen
as a fundamental right to protection.

6PR (Perth), Drive, 17/04/2007 04:28PM   Compere: Howard Sattler
Sattler wants to know why semi-automatic hand guns are still allowed to be
sold within the community.

6PR (Perth), Drive, 17/04/2007 04:18PM   Compere: Howard Sattler
This is not the first time a gunman has gone on a shooting rampage in
America. Sattler wants to know whether the Americans will learn anything
from this recent shooting in Virginia. Roland Browne, Chairman, National
Coalition for Gun Control says in the short term there will be a debate
because this will have a huge impact on the people of America. He does not
believe this will change the current gun laws in the country because the
power of the National Rifle Association is extremely strong and they do
control a lot of the Govt administrations. Browne says with Aust the way the
gun laws currently stand mean there is a potential that another massacre
similar to the Port Arthur one could happen here. He says it is so easy for
people to get hold of semi-automatic guns in Aust and a lot of these are
illegal. He says some of these are in the wrong hands and will be misused,
adding this is inevitable. Browne believes the solution is to bring
semi-automatic handguns into the same line as rifles and shot guns and treat
these in the same way.
Interviewee: Roland Browne, chairman, National Coalition for Gun Control

6PR (Perth), 16:00 News, 17/04/2007 04:01PM   Compere: Newsreader
Authorities in Aust say our gun laws are strong enough to protect a similar
incident like the one in Virginia from happening here. Brendan Nelson,
Defence Min says there is no need to change the laws.

Virginia Tech Report Cites Privacy Law Problems