Police seek national crossbow ban [News From Australia]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,6278150%255E1702,00.html ^ | April 13, 2003

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

NSW Police Minister John Watkins will seek a national ban on all crossbows following an attack which seriously injured two schoolgirls near Port Stephens, north of Newcastle.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder over the April 3 incident at Salamander Bay's Tomaree High School, in which 16-year-old Tamara Sharp was shot through the chest with a crossbow bolt.

The same bolt then struck Courtney Bennett, also 16, pinning her legs together.

It was alleged in court that the boy bought the weapon from interstate.

Mr Watkins said the incident had drawn attention to the problems of interstate and national controls.

"Crossbows are killing machines - nothing else," he said.

"Trafficking in these weapons is as deadly as drugs or guns.

"(NSW has) the toughest laws and the longest list of banned weapons - but I want to ensure unscrupulous people can't take advantage of different interstate legislation."

Mr Watkins said only NSW and the ACT banned all types of crossbow.

In other jurisdictions, including Customs checks, pistol or concealable crossbows were banned, but larger, non-concealable models were not.

Mr Watkins said he would seek the ban at next month's meeting of the Australasian Police Ministers Council (APMC).

He said he would also ask the federal government to introduce laws making it illegal to buy, sell, carry or send crossbows from one state or territory to another.

"A uniform ban would mean less attempts to bring crossbows into Australia across the Customs barrier, and less crossbows available to be sent illegally into NSW from other states," Mr Watkins said.

"The AMPC's support will ensure we can effectively target anyone engaging in interstate trade who transports, sells or posts one of these weapons illegally into NSW."

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

"A uniform ban would mean less attempts to bring crossbows into Australia across the Customs barrier, and less crossbows available to be sent illegally into NSW from other states," Mr Watkins said.

A uniform ban would do nothing. You cannot legislate behavior. People who want weapons will always find a way to get them with or without consent of the law.

[coloradan]

After crossbows will be long bows, and then spears, then knives, then pointy sticks, down to rocks, and finally fists. It's for the children, etc.

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[coloradan]

They've banned guns already in Australia. Since violence hasn't ended (as the lefties promised) it has become necessary to apply even more of the failed medicine to cure the patient.

[The Great RJ]

You will also need to ban knives, forks, pointed sticks, rocks, glass bottles, razor blades etc. not to mention fists that could also be used by psychopathic kids bent on harming there fellow kids.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

"Pointy sticks." Yeah. Good one.

His "assault weapon" was a pointy stick.

[goldstategop]

Next they'll ban metal knives and forks. Every one knows they're also lethal weapons.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

Next they'll ban metal knives and forks. Every one knows they're also lethal weapons.

They are not lethal weapons. They are "assault weapons."

[ApesForEvolution]

My apologies to the good and honorable peoples in Australia, but that country is totally, totally screwed up and that they allowed it to get to this point is beyond scary.

This is why the assault on the 2nd Amendment of the united State's Constitution must come with a line in the sand.

Allowing the 'AW' ban to sunset is a start. Or is the line when they have weeded out our firearms in new, creative ways until we are left with crossbows?

[husky ed]

Next they'll ban metal knives and forks.

Not sure where it happened, but a kid here in the states was suspended from school for taking a plastic knife from the cafateria. This was within the last couple of months.

[mhking]

No more William Tell Overture....

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!

[F16Fighter]

...And then they'll start with the longer 'barrel' straws, and bigger caliber spitballs, and move onward.

Can the banning of water balloons in Australia be far behind?

[jrushing]

He said he would also ask the federal government to introduce laws making it illegal to buy, sell, carry or send crossbows from one state or territory to another. "A uniform ban would mean less attempts to bring crossbows into Australia across the Customs barrier, and less crossbows available to be sent illegally into NSW from other states,"

They should also outlaw assault crossbows. What we need are "safer arrows". Maybe a tax on crossbow strings and an arrow tax will help. Then, outlaw all strings & sharp sticks which look like arrows. They are dangerous too. (Can't you shoot arrows with a violin?) I think the 3 Stooges shot an arrow with a violin. Maybe they need a 5 day waiting period for Violins. Or

[pooh fan]

Hasn't Australia left their 'roots' behind?? Wasn't the country originally a type of exile for British criminals?? Not to imply that Aussie's are bad, it's just they are loosing touch w/their 'culture'...

[steplock]

Have they banned "Boomerangs" yet??

[Uncle Miltie]

Cars undoubtedly exceed crossbows for both purposeful murder and non-purposeful death by accident. Australia won't be safe until everyone walks.

[jrushing]

A little way from the top I realized that this was no ordinary hill. On the ground there were unusual looking tooth-shaped quartz crystallites. Most of them were about an inch long but a few were maybe 5 times larger. Also strewn on the ground were spalls of reddish chert. This is/was an Aboriginal knapping site where stone tools and weapons were fashioned. I picked up one of the larger spalls and asked Paddy N. if he knew how to make stone spear points. "Oh yes, but I really don't have the proper tools here." He then proceeded to knap out a small spear point using only an ill-shaped chunk of granite as a hammerstone.

What will the aborigines do? Chert & granite will be outlawed.

[thatdewd]

Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt.

[Sofa King]

And teeth. They'll have to yank out all of your teeth and you'll have nothing but yogurt to eat for the rest of your life.

[ApesForEvolution]

There was a child (6 I think?) that was suspended for pointing a chicken finger! at a classmate like a gun, at lunch...