Firearms Act 2015 (SA)

South Australia

Firearms Act 2015

An Act to provide for the control of firearms; and for other purposes.

The Parliament of South Australia enacts as follows:

This Act may be cited as the Firearms Act 2015.

1. (1)

   The underlying principles of this Act are—

   1. (a)

      to confirm firearm possession and use as a privilege that is conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety; and

   2. (b)

      to improve public safety—

      1. (i)

         by imposing strict controls on the possession, use, acquisition, supply and manufacture of firearms; and

      2. (ii)

         by promoting the safe and responsible storage, transport and use (whether for recreational or other purposes) of firearms; and

   3. (c)

      to facilitate a nationally consistent approach to the control of firearms.

2. (2)

   The objects of this Act are as follows:

   1. (a)

      to ensure that the possession and use of automatic and self-loading firearms is permitted only in strictly limited circumstances;

   2. (b)

      to establish an integrated licensing and registration scheme for all firearms;

   3. (c)

      to require each person who possesses or acquires a firearm or ammunition under the authority of a licence or permit to have established a genuine reason to possess or acquire the firearm or ammunition;

   4. (d)

      to provide strict requirements that must be satisfied in relation to firearms and transactions and activities involving firearms, including requirements to ensure the safe and secure storage and transport of firearms;

   5. (e)

      to reduce the number of firearms that are in unlawful possession in the community through a general amnesty;

   6. (f)

      to prevent or restrict persons and organisations from accessing, possessing or using firearms for criminal purposes;

   7. (g)

      to minimise the risk of persons becoming victims of crimes involving the use or threatened use of firearms;

   8. (h)

      to minimise the risk of persons causing injury or harm (including psychological harm) to themselves or others by the use or threatened use of firearms.

1. (1)

   In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears—

accredited paint-ball employee means a person accredited in accordance with the regulations to possess or use a paint‑ball firearm on the grounds of a recognised paint‑ball operator in the ordinary course of paint‑ball shooting operations on the grounds as an employee of the operator;

acquire means acquire through purchase, gift, loan or hire;

air gun—see section 5;

ammunition means ammunition suitable for use in a firearm, and includes—

1. (a)

   an article consisting of a cartridge case fitted with a live primer and a projectile; and

2. (b)

   an article consisting of a cartridge case fitted with a live primer and containing a propelling charge and a projectile; and

3. (c)

   live primers, propellants and blank cartridges; and

4. (d)

   an article of a kind declared by the regulations to be ammunition,

but does not include—

1. (e)

   inert blank cartridges; or

2. (f)

   inert drill rounds; or

3. (g)

   snap caps or other item designed to fit in the breech or chamber for the purpose of preventing damage to the firing pin; or