PUP Bill to Regulate 3D Firearm Printing Introduced Into Queensland Parliament

Monday 26 May 2014 @ 10.28 a.m. | Crime

Last week, Palmer United Party (PUP) MP Carl Judge introduced the Weapons (Digital 3D and Printed Firearms) Amendment Bill 2014 into the Queensland Legislative Assembly as a Private Member’s Bill.  The Bill is designed to introduce a licensing scheme for people who wish to make, acquire, possess and/or distribute firearms that are made through a 3D printing process.  Mr Judge told ABC News:

“We must be cognisant of technology advancements that may, and indeed can, be applied for criminal purposes… Our laws must keep pace with technology to effectively protect our community.”

The Explanatory Notes for the Bill highlight the rapid improvement of the technology, including the increased affordability of 3D printing technology.  The Notes state:

“[t]here are many positive uses of such technology including for medical, scientific and industrial purposes.  The same technology can also be applied though for criminal purposes… law must keep pace with technology”.

The Bill would amend the Weapons Act 1990 (Qld) to insert one new section, requiring authorisation to manufacture a firearm “using an additive manufacturing process” and a new Part 5A that would deal with Digital 3D firearms more generally.

A representative for Gun Control Australia spokeswoman Sam Lee told ABC News that while the Bill is a worthwhile initiative, “like all firearms laws, it is best if they are nationally uniform.”

The New South Wales police have previously expressed their concerns about weapons being printed with the new technology, after they conducted an experiment where they “easily made two Liberator plastic guns on a $1700 home 3D printer” (although the gun did blow up when discharged).  Last year NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told the Sydney Morning Herald that:

“Everyone is really concerned this weapon is undetectable.  One has been smuggled on the Eurostar train in Europe and there is now a major security review”.

The Queensland Government has not yet commented on the Bill, which is now being examined at the Committee stage.

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