Senator Marshall asked the Minister for Justice and Customs, upon notice, on 20 November 2003:

(1)  What steps have been taken by the Commonwealth to give effect to resolution 20 of the Australian Police Ministers Council's meeting held in November 2002.

(2)  What progress has been made in giving effect to this resolution.

(3)  What further steps are planned to complete the implementation of this resolution.

Senator Ellison —The answer to the honourable senator's question is as follows:

(1)  The Australian Government has draft Minimum National Standards for Firearms Safety Training which it is using as the basis of consultation with interested parties. I have had initial discussions with the Sporting Shooters and Firearms Advisory Council (SSFAC)—a body comprising of key industry and sporting shooters associations—and asked for their written comments by mid-December 2003.

(2)  To 19 December written comments have been received from two members of the Council on behalf of the National Rifle Association of Australia Ltd and the Northern Territory Firearms Council Inc. I hope to receive further comments from other Council members which will inform the further development of the standards.

(3)  Consultation with the wider community is planned early next year in addition to further discussions with the SSFAC and State and Territory government officials with the aim of presenting the Standards to Police Ministers for final endorsement at the first meeting of the Australasian Police Ministers' Council in July 2004.