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Firearms Act 1996
18Assessing suitability of individuals—discretionary
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18 Assessing suitability of individuals—discretionary
criteria
(1) For section 17, the following are the discretionary criteria in relation
to an individual:
(a) whether the registrar believes on reasonable grounds that,
because of the individual’s physical or mental health, the
individual may not handle firearms responsibly;
Note 1 Under s 56, the registrar may require the applicant for an adult
firearms licence to give the registrar stated further information or
documents that the registrar reasonably needs to decide the
application. This could include a document that is a consent to the
disclosure of personal health information (see s 56 (3)).
Note 2 See also s 86 (Minors firearms licences—requirement for further
information etc) and s 102 (Composite entity firearms licences—
requirement for further information etc).
(b) whether, during the 10 years before the day the registrar decides
the individual’s suitability, the individual has—
(i) been released (whether on parole or otherwise) after
serving a term of imprisonment or detention; or
(ii) been subject to a final protection order that—
(A) has been revoked; or
(B) permits the individual to possess or retain a firearm;
or
Note The Magistrates Court may order that the firearms
licence of a person subject to a final order not be
cancelled under the Personal Violence Act 2016,
s 37 (3).
(iii) been subject to an interim protection order; or
(iv) been convicted or found guilty of an offence (other than a
prescribed offence)—
(A) against this Act or a corresponding law; or
(B) in the ACT or elsewhere involving violence, drugs,
alcohol or weapons; or
Note 1 A conviction does not include a spent conviction or an
extinguished conviction (see Spent Convictions Act 2000,
s 16 (c) (i) and s 19H (1) (c) (i)).
Note 2 Found guilty, of an offence—see the Legislation Act,
dictionary, pt 1.
(v) given an undertaking to a court, in the ACT or elsewhere,
to keep the peace or be of good behaviour; or
(vi) had their licence or permit suspended or cancelled;
(c) whether the registrar believes on reasonable grounds that
information held by a law enforcement agency in relation to the
individual indicates that it would be contrary to the public
interest for the individual to have access to a firearm;
Note The Minister may make guidelines about the making of decisions
about the public interest under this paragraph (see s 37).
(d) any other criteria prescribed by regulation.
law enforcement agency means each of the following:
(a) the Australian Federal Police;
(b) the police service or force of a State, another Territory or a
foreign country;
(c) the Department of Home Affairs (Cwlth);
(d) the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission;
(e) the New South Wales Independent Commission Against
Corruption or a similar entity established under the law of
another State or Territory;
(f) the New South Wales Crime Commission or a similar entity
established under the law of another State or Territory;
(g) an entity prescribed by regulation.
prescribed offence means—
(a) an offence—
(i) against this Act or a corresponding law; or
(ii) in the ACT or elsewhere involving violence, drugs, alcohol
or weapons; and
(b) an offence punishable by imprisonment for longer than 1 year.