WA guns to be seized at first sign of DV threat

Further amendments to WA’s proposed new gun laws will be announced this morning in the wake of the double-murder suicide in Floreat last month.

The changes will mean police can seize a person’s licensed firearms at the first sign of any domestic violence threat or issue.

The proposed amendments will also place stricter requirements on those who possess guns under a collector’s licence.

It comes after shooter, Mark Bombara, used two handguns – acquired under a collector’s licence – to murder his estranged wife’s friend Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter Gretl.

Bombara had been permitted to keep his 13 firearms, despite his daughter and wife telling police on several occasions in the weeks before the killings that they feared for their lives, and were aware at least one of Bombara’s handguns was missing.

New measures, to be introduced into Parliament today, will allow police to carry out the mandatory seizure of firearms without a warrant if any threat is reported against the owner.

Those seeking to acquire guns under a collector’s licence must also show a genuine interest in the study, and be a member of an approved firearm collector’s society.

WA police minister Paul Papalia said the additional amendments would make the state’s gun laws the toughest in the country.

“The events that contributed to Jennifer and Gretl’s tragic deaths are something we have never confronted before, but they’ve highlighted ways we as government can make Western Australia a safer place,” he said.

“Firearms reform is just a one element needed to address the blight that is family and domestic violence – we all have a role to play and we must work together as a community to create change.”