Lessons on firearm policy and legislation from other peer nations: the experiences of the UK, Australia and New Zealand

Lessons on firearm policy and legislation from other peer nations: the experiences of the UK, Australia and New Zealand Lessons on firearm policy and legislation from other peer nations: the experiences of Australia, NZ, UK The International Experience and Canada's Place in the World Dr. [...] • Legislation alone is insufficient to address the complex roots of firearm violence and harms, but is required for sustained, strong cross-sectoral responses Australia OUTLINE • Firearm legislation • Conditions that prompted it • Effects on firearm ownership New Zealand • Effects on firearm deaths• Mass shootings, suicide, homicide • Policy Lessons United Kingdom • April 28, 1996 • Tourist town o. [...] 1999-2003 8.7% 1.1% 2004-2005 6.2% 0.3% Van Dijk, van Kesteren, Smit 2007 Effects on firearm-deaths • Widely analysed, complex to demonstrate causal effect in ecological study setting with no appropriate control • Majority scientific opinion is that the NFA: • Led to a marked reduction in mass shootings • None occurred in Australia for 23 years after the legislation was adopted • Chance of this ha. [...] • The Arms Amendment Bill was supported by all parties except the sole MP for the right-wing ACT party Attempts to revise legislation prior to 2019 • Arms Act 1983 and Arms Amendment Act 1992 were the two major pieces of legislation controlling firearms in NZ at the time of the mosque shootings • In the 25 years before the mosque shootings there were multiple attempts to strengthen firearm control. [...] ANZ J Psych 2006;40(3):253-9 Dunblane & the 1997 Firearms Amendment Act • 13 March 1996 • Dunblane Primary School • 16 pupils, 1 teacher killed, 15 injured • Led to a public campaign, the Snowdrop Petition which helped bring about legislative change • Two new Firearm Acts, passed in 1997, prohibited private ownership of most handguns within Great Britain (automatic and semi-automatics already proh.