Australian Prohibited Weapons Laws

[larrycentaur]

Hi all.

In Australia (where I'm from) it's pretty hard to own prohibited weapons, including automatic knives, legally. I've decided to go through the process of obtaining my "Prohibited Weapons" licence which means that I can, as a member of a legitimate club, collect knives and other weapons that are illegal for people to own under normal circumstances. I plan on explaining the process that I have to go through as it happens to me, so you can see it in the actual time it all takes. I'm happy to answer any questions anyone might have, and discuss pretty much anything as I go along.

So, here goes...


I recently applied to the Licensing Services Division of the Victoria Police for an Application for Chief Commissioner's Approval to Possess Prohibited Weapon(s). Appart from all the standard things you need to fill out on this form like name, birthdate etc. there was also a section that asked why I wanted to apply for this. Being the lawabiding citizen that I am I obviously want to do the right thing legally. So I have decided to join the Australasian Knife Collectors (AKC). At his stage, I have emailed them (today) a completed form and am waiting to hear back from them so I can give them my payment details. As soon as I receive the membership to the AKC, then my next step is to finish the Application for Chief Commissioner's Approval to Possess Prohibited Weapon(s) form, and then send it in to Victoria Police (Licensing Services Division). It would normally cost AU$157.80, but as I have a current Firearms Licence, it will only cost me AU$134.50.

I'm pretty excited about it all, and even though I'm no spring chicken I must admit that I feel a lot like a big kid right now.


More info to follow, please feel free to ask any questions about anything.

Larry

[Ash]

Wow that is pretty neat. I didn't know you could do that. Thanks for sharing.

[Dano]

Thats awesome larry best of luck!

[larrycentaur]

Thanks guys. I figured that as I don't have a great deal of experience in manufacturing, modifying or customising knives, that I shouldn't really comment on that side of it. I do appreciate a good knife and have had one ever since I was a kid in the boy scouts and my dad got me my first Swiss Army knife - and now have many. In the years since then I've always had an affinity with knives, and understanding of their usefullness and also their inherant danger to an unaware user. So I've decided to speak about the only thing I can speak about with any authority - personal experience. The Australian Government is at the moment being asked to make some hard descisions with regards to the laws surrounding knives as there has been an apparent significant increase in knife related crime in the state that I'm from. It will be very interesting to see what the fall out of this will be.


Back to the update.

During the day today I called the AKC to pay for my membersgip, and was told that they are the largest, most respected and most politically active knife club in Australia, and pursue the rights of citizens to use edged weapons. I was also told that if I have any questions, queries or comments that I should feel free to get in contact with them at any time I like. I thought that this was a nice touch. They could have just taken my money and said "Thank you, come again."

So now the next thing for me to do is wait until the membership pack comes to me via post, and then complete my Victoria Police form and then to wait to see what the Chief Commissioner has to say. It will actually be quite interesting to see what they say as to my application. If they decline it I might have to ask my solicitor wife or some of her legal-eagle friends to help me out.


Anyhoo, have fun.


Larry

[larrycentaur]

Hi guys. Here's a bit of an update.

In Friday's mail I received a package from AKC (Australiasian Knife Collectors). This contained the following:

1 x laminated membership card
1 x A5 double sided flier containg information about Swords and Dagger ownership in the state of Victoria (which unfortunately you need a permit for where I live) and on the reverse side quoted parts of the Firearms Act which prohibited weapons fall under.
1 x tax invoice for my 12 month membership
1 x A4 Certificate of Membership to the AKC
1 x A4 welcome letter explaining who they are, what they do and the aims and objectives of the AKC
1 x A4 mail order form - I'm lead to believe tha they sell a lot of knives via mailorder.
1 x A4 Glossy publication entitled, "AKC Knives Australia" (Issue 2/2009) which amongst other things contains some articles on Australia-centric locally produced older and new blades as well as smithing practices, carving, polishing etc.
1 x A4 knifemaking supplies catalogue

I was very impressed that this made it to me in such short time. I was expecting it to take another week to get to me. The upshot is that now I can complete the Approval to Posses Prohibited Weapons form and start the long journey through bureaucracy. At least I assume it will be a long one - you never know, I might be suprised. (Shyeah, right!)

I'll finish the form this weekend and mail it off, the police will receive it in Tuesday as we have a public holiday this Monday.


Anyway, as I said earlier, thanks again and I'll fill you all in as I progress.

[trickyd]

Allow me to foreshadow a little bit of your progress.

You will receive your approval (previously known as a Chief Commissioner of Police Prohibited Weapons Exemption) issued under Section 8C, Control of Weapons Act 1990 from LSD in due course, and then you will discover the real fun involved in importing prohibited imports: after lodging your B709B with LSD, and duly being issued with a form to send to the relevant Federal Minister's office a week or two after, you will spend the next six or so weeks, at the minimum, waiting for a ministerial approval to arrive.

To avoid hassles, do two things... One, curb your enthusiasm and DON'T get anything in transit until you have the certificate in hand. The Minister's office keeps records of all certs issued and gets a little bit unhappy when you get things sent in and held by ACS (Customs) before you cert arrives. Two, call ACS and advise them of your details and your certificate numbers so that when your goods do touch down, rather than having your parcel torn apart and a seizure notice issued, you'll get a nice letter requesting you produce your original exemption by mail. Turnaround from receipt of ACS notification of your stuff to getting it in hand is between three and five working days depending how quick you are and how quick they're handling things at Tullamarine.

Your mention of an extant firearms licence suggests that you probably have a safe at home. Don't forget that all of your new toys, being Prohibited Weponas per Schedule 2, Regulation 6, Control of Weapons Regulations 1990, need to be stored in a safe of similar standard to required for longarms. A conviction for not securing your prohibited weapons properly brings with it a similar penatly for failing to secure a firearm.

[larrycentaur]

Thanks trickyd.

I've had a busy few weeks and haven't been able to post. Apologies all. Here's an update for you.



So after waiting for the cogs to turn for what seemed like an eternity, I got a bit frustrated. So I called the guys at Licensing Services. It seems that they never received my application, and I needed to start again. Just quietly, I'm not happy about my personal info being out there somewhere, but I digress. So I filled it all out, got my barrister friend to sign the section that was the personal reference so they know I'm not stealing someone's identity, and mailed it in. Again. But this time I sent it by Registered Post, so that there has to be someone sign for it instead of just through the normal post.

I got a call within two days - I almost fell off my chair. I can't believe that I actually waited the first time around without calling because I was worried they might think I was being pushy!. I should have picked up on there being something wrong. The reason that they called me was to let me know that I couldn't use body armour, mace (capsicum spray) and something else which I forget with this licence as they are SO restricted that you can't even get/use them in Australia even with a the permit I was applying for.

Anyway, I get the permit sent out to me within a week. Unfortunately they sent it out to me without some of the things that I requested to be on it, so I called them back and asked them to change it, and they said, "No problem." I'm expecting my updated permit within a few days.

So now I can legally do the following: (and this is quoted directly from the Chief Commisioners Approval for Prohibited Weapons)

Advertise Prohibited Weapons for Sale
Carry Prohibited Weapon
Display Prohibited Weapon
Import or cause Prohibited Weapon to be Imported
Maufacture Prohibited Weapon
Possess Prohibited Weapon
Sell Prohibited Weapon
Use Prohibited Weapon
Purchase Prohibited


And the weapons that I can do that with/to are the following: (again, quoted directly from the Chief Commisioners Approval for Prohibited Weapons)

Ballistic Knives
Blowguns
Blowgun Darts
Butterfly knives
Cat o'nine tails
Catapults/Shanghais or hunting slings
Concealed knife or Sword blade
Knuckle Duster
Mace - {this is the spiked stick mace, not the OC spray-can}
Non metal/Ceramic knives
Push knives
Shark Dart
Retractable Sheath knives
Slingshot
Studded Glove
Throwing Blades
Trench Knives
Weighted Glove
Whips with Metal Lashes
Crossbows


Now, that list has a whole lot of stuff that I am not planning on collecting, using, manufaturing or anything of the sort at this stage - however, if you can get a licence for it, why not? It doesn't cost me any more to get the full list of allowable Prohibited Weapons instead of just one or two items, so I decided to go the whole hog.

You might notice that the list of weapons I am allowed to use and collect doesn't include automatic knives - this is an oversight that is being rectified by them shortly.


Anyhoo, there it all is - I'm licensed to use weapons now. Sorry it took so long to get this all done - it was completely my fault. But now I'm almost totally there, and as soon as I am I'll be sure to report in and let you all know. And then the fun begins - time to take advantage of my legal ability to get some toys. Though, having heard what trickyd says about importing does make me think twice...

Tell me trickyd - you appear quite knowledgable, have you jumped through the hoops, or are you aware from being involved in the industry in some way? What's the go here?


Cheers.



Larry

[larrycentaur]

HI GUYS,

I RECEIVED MY COMPLETE PERMIT FROM THE POLICE TODAY TO COLLECT USE ETC. PROHIBITED WEAPONS. SO NOW IT'S GAME ON!


HAVE FUN,


LARRY