Gun lobbyist insists Australian gun laws are useless to Americans
By Daniel Piotrowski and Danielle Cahill
news.com.au
January 17, 20139:35PM
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Australian laws won't help Americans solve gun violence crisis
John Howard wrote gun control opinion piece for US paper
Obama pushing for major gun control package
"We won the battle to change gun laws because there was majority support across Australia for banning certain weapons"... John Howard has taken to an American newspaper to explain his gun control efforts.Picture: John Grainger Source: News Limited
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AMERICANS don't want to be lectured to on gun control by Australians the president of the Gun Owners of America said in fiery interview on ABC TV.
"We're not interested in being like Australia, we are Americans," said the group's leader, Larry Pratt, on the 7.30 Report. "The rifle is the emblem of a free man," he added.
Mr Pratt's comments came after John Howard published an opinion piece in The New York Times, describing how his newly-elected government changed gun laws after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
He bristled at suggestions that Australia's gun laws could serve as an example for an America looking to curb gun violence in the wake of the Newtown shooting, in which 20 children were shot dead in a school by a lone gunman.
Asked by host Leigh Sales why his organisation won't consider trying some of the restrictions announced by President Barack Obama, Pratt's response was blunt. "Once you’ve give it a try, there’s no going back," he said.
He said the $500m package Mr Obama had announced would not curb gun violence and was more about controlling citizens and limiting their liberty.
"There are politicians that think it's their job to rule us and it's our job to be ruled…and that’s why it's our job to vote politicians out of office," he said.
US President Obama was flanked by children when he signed executive orders designed to tackle gun violence. Picture: AFP
He also said the only way to prevent future mass killings in US school is to arm teachers and train them to take out killers.
"The armed teacher is going to be much more likely to take out a gunman than a policeman that takes 20 minutes to get there," he added.
The Gun Owners of America describe themselves on their website as "the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" and Mr Pratt chaffed when Sales referred to semi-automatic weapons as assault rifles.
He said guns with the capacity to shoot multiple rounds aren't military grade and ordinary citizens needed them in situations like Hurricane Katrina,when law and order could beak down.
In his article in The New York Times, Mr Howard described how deranged gunman Martin Bryant used two semiautomatic assault weapons to murder 35 people and wound 23 others.
"After this wanton slaughter, I knew that I had to use the authority of my office to curb the possession and use of the types of weapons that killed 35 innocent people," Mr Howard wrote. "I also knew it wouldn't be easy."
US President reveals gun control package
US President reveals gun control packagePresident Barack Obama has launched the most sweeping effort to curb US gun violence in nearly two decades.(2:01 / 11.7MB)
Mr Howard describes how his government financed a scheme to buy back high powered guns and pressed the states to enact uniform laws prohibiting their ownership and possession in 1996.
There has not been a mass-killing by a gunman in Australia since the reforms. A 2007 report found co-authored by Andrew Leigh, now a Federal Labor MP, found the Port Arthur gun buyback has saved between 128 and 282 lives a year.
The gun reform was politically painful to the Howard Government, Mr Howard admits, linking the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in part to the gun laws.
"Many farmers resented being told to surrender weapons they had used safely all their lives," Mr Howard wrote "Many of them had been lifelong supporters of my coalition and felt bewildered and betrayed by these new laws.
"I understood their misgivings. Yet I felt there was no alternative."
Few Australians would deny their country is safer today as a consequence of gun control, he wrote.
Mr Howard has said in the past that his National Firearms Agreement was one of his proudest achievements in office.
However in the article, the former PM said that it was not up to him to make the minds of Americans up for them.
"It is for Americans and their elected representatives to determine the right response to President Obama's proposals on gun control."
"I wouldn't presume to lecture Americans on the subject."
By Daniel Piotrowski and Danielle Cahill
news.com.au
January 17, 20139:35PM
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
131 comments
Australian laws won't help Americans solve gun violence crisis
John Howard wrote gun control opinion piece for US paper
Obama pushing for major gun control package
"We won the battle to change gun laws because there was majority support across Australia for banning certain weapons"... John Howard has taken to an American newspaper to explain his gun control efforts.Picture: John Grainger Source: News Limited
Related Coverage
Howard enters US gun debate
Howard tells US how he curbed gun crime
Obama unveils sweeping anti-gun proposals
Obama to present gun violence proposals
Obama's plans to end gun violence
AMERICANS don't want to be lectured to on gun control by Australians the president of the Gun Owners of America said in fiery interview on ABC TV.
"We're not interested in being like Australia, we are Americans," said the group's leader, Larry Pratt, on the 7.30 Report. "The rifle is the emblem of a free man," he added.
Mr Pratt's comments came after John Howard published an opinion piece in The New York Times, describing how his newly-elected government changed gun laws after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.
He bristled at suggestions that Australia's gun laws could serve as an example for an America looking to curb gun violence in the wake of the Newtown shooting, in which 20 children were shot dead in a school by a lone gunman.
Asked by host Leigh Sales why his organisation won't consider trying some of the restrictions announced by President Barack Obama, Pratt's response was blunt. "Once you’ve give it a try, there’s no going back," he said.
He said the $500m package Mr Obama had announced would not curb gun violence and was more about controlling citizens and limiting their liberty.
"There are politicians that think it's their job to rule us and it's our job to be ruled…and that’s why it's our job to vote politicians out of office," he said.
US President Obama was flanked by children when he signed executive orders designed to tackle gun violence. Picture: AFP
He also said the only way to prevent future mass killings in US school is to arm teachers and train them to take out killers.
"The armed teacher is going to be much more likely to take out a gunman than a policeman that takes 20 minutes to get there," he added.
The Gun Owners of America describe themselves on their website as "the only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" and Mr Pratt chaffed when Sales referred to semi-automatic weapons as assault rifles.
He said guns with the capacity to shoot multiple rounds aren't military grade and ordinary citizens needed them in situations like Hurricane Katrina,when law and order could beak down.
In his article in The New York Times, Mr Howard described how deranged gunman Martin Bryant used two semiautomatic assault weapons to murder 35 people and wound 23 others.
"After this wanton slaughter, I knew that I had to use the authority of my office to curb the possession and use of the types of weapons that killed 35 innocent people," Mr Howard wrote. "I also knew it wouldn't be easy."
US President reveals gun control package
US President reveals gun control packagePresident Barack Obama has launched the most sweeping effort to curb US gun violence in nearly two decades.(2:01 / 11.7MB)
Mr Howard describes how his government financed a scheme to buy back high powered guns and pressed the states to enact uniform laws prohibiting their ownership and possession in 1996.
There has not been a mass-killing by a gunman in Australia since the reforms. A 2007 report found co-authored by Andrew Leigh, now a Federal Labor MP, found the Port Arthur gun buyback has saved between 128 and 282 lives a year.
The gun reform was politically painful to the Howard Government, Mr Howard admits, linking the rise of Pauline Hanson's One Nation party in part to the gun laws.
"Many farmers resented being told to surrender weapons they had used safely all their lives," Mr Howard wrote "Many of them had been lifelong supporters of my coalition and felt bewildered and betrayed by these new laws.
"I understood their misgivings. Yet I felt there was no alternative."
Few Australians would deny their country is safer today as a consequence of gun control, he wrote.
Mr Howard has said in the past that his National Firearms Agreement was one of his proudest achievements in office.
However in the article, the former PM said that it was not up to him to make the minds of Americans up for them.
"It is for Americans and their elected representatives to determine the right response to President Obama's proposals on gun control."
"I wouldn't presume to lecture Americans on the subject."
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