In short:
The Tasmanian government's firearms law changes will not include a gun ownership limit, after an amendment from the opposition was voted down.
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amendment → include → opposition
It was defeated 15-16, with the government and four crossbenchers, including independent George Razay, not supporting it.
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government → defeat → it
The bill is expected to pass the lower house on Thursday evening and will face the upper house later this year.
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bill → expect → house
There will not be a cap on the number of guns a person can own in Tasmania, after the lower house voted not to amend the state government's firearms reform legislation.
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house → own → legislation
The amendment from the opposition lost 15-16, as debate on the government's bill continued for the third straight day.
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debate → lose → day
The changes proposed by the government, including setting up the Tasmanian requirements for a national firearms register and a buyback scheme, as well as mandatory minimum jail terms for serious firearms offences, were announced in the wake of the Bondi shooting.
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changes → propose → shooting
Caps, which were not included in the government's bill, were supported by Labor, the Greens, and independents Helen Burnet, Peter George and Kristie Johnston.
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which → include → Labor
The state government, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Carlo Di Falco, and independents David O'Byrne, Craig Garland and George Razay voted against them.
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government → vote → them
Professor Razay was the last MP to reveal their stance on ownership caps.
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Razay → reveal → caps
All others declared their position during debate on Tuesday.
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others → declare → Tuesday
Professor Razay said there was merit in caps, but was wary of the impact they would have had on the agricultural community and hunters.
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they → say → community
It had proposed the state's police commissioner be given powers to grant exemptions to that limit.
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commissioner → propose → limit
The state government did not support the caps, having said the restrictions would target law-abiding firearms owners, rather than criminals.
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restrictions → support → criminals
The bill will continue to be debated this evening, and is expected to pass the lower house in some form.
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bill → continue → form
It will then need to go through the upper house, and is likely to do so later this year.
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It → need → house
'Serious' debate hears strong opinions
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debate → hear → opinions
Labor's police spokesperson Jen Butler said the issue of caps was one of the most serious she had debated during her time in parliament.
"
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she → say → parliament
I don't think we should be prioritising the voices of the gun lobby, or firearms dealers, above what's best for Tasmanian people," she said.
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she → think → people
"All we are asking for is to have a reduction in the number of guns we have in our community,"she said.
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we → ask → community,"she
She was one of several members to reference the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in their contribution.
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She → reference → contribution
Greens police spokesperson Tabatha Badger said caps were not "the be-all and end-all", but would be "something else in the toolbox" to help improve safety.
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caps → say → safety
Police Minister Felix Ellis maintained that targeting serious firearms offences was the best way to improve safety.
"It is not the number of firearms, it is the hands they are in,"he said.
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they → maintain → firearms
He also said that despite the increase in the number of firearms, the number of homicides and firearm thefts had fallen.
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number → say → homicides
Mr Ellis told the house caps would not have stopped the Bondi massacre, as the shooters had just three guns between them.
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shooters → tell → them
Fit and proper persons test strengthened
While the bill passed its second reading late on Wednesday night, MP's have been debating each clause and potential amendments on Thursday afternoon.
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MP → strengthen → afternoon
Several changes were also made to the fit and proper person test, largely to address the impacts of family violence.
An amendment from independent MP Kristie Johnston passed, giving the police commissioner the power to consider if a licence applicant has a history of family violence in another state, or has displayed behaviour that was "a recognised precursor or risk factor for family violence".
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that → make → violence
That would include coercion, intimidation, damage to property or increased police attendance.
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That → include → property
Another change will allow the commissioner to consider if a family member or partner, who is not a fit and proper person, would have access to an applicant's guns.
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who → allow → guns
Ms Badger also successfully moved an amendment giving the commissioner the power to consider the likelihood of the applicant using a firearm to make threats.
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applicant → move → threats
Those who have been convicted of a family violence offence would also be unable to obtain a licence for 10 years, up from five in the original bill.
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who → convict → bill
A bid by Mr Di Falco to create a permit system for individuals to be able to own firearms suppressors failed.
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individuals → create → suppressors
Gun ownership grandfathering to be removed
The state government had proposed reclassifying straight-pull action firearms, similar to those used by the Bondi shooters, but grandfathering the change so that current owners were not affected.
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owners → remove → change
However, this grandfathering will be removed from the bill, with the support of the Greens and independents Helen Burnet, David O'Byrne and Peter George.
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grandfathering → remove → Greens
The government's bill also makes Australian citizenship a licence requirement; however, this change would also be grandfathered, allowing current non-Australian licence holders to keep their licences.
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holders → make → licences
A bid from the opposition to remove this provision failed, after not gaining enough support.
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bid → remove → support
There was also a push from some members of the crossbench to remove mandatory minimum sentences for firearms' theft and gun trafficking offences from the bill but that failed.
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that → be → bill