Mandatory reporting

Firearms Regulation 96 requires mandatory notifications from ‘designated persons’.

A designated person is

• A medical practitioner
• A nurse
• A psychologist
• A professional counsellor
• A social worker

Designated persons must make a report to the Registrar of Firearms when:

• the designated person forms a suspicion
• that a person they are treating / caring for in a professional capacity
• is suffering from a physical or mental illness, condition or disorder,
• or is in any other circumstance,
• that there is a threat to the person’s own safety or the safety of others
• with the person’s possession or use of a firearm
• and the person has, or might be intending to acquire, a firearm.

The report must be made as soon as reasonably practicable after the suspicion has formed and the report must include:

• the name and address of the subject person
• the suspected threat to safety and
• Circumstances giving rise to the threat (including the nature of the medical circumstances causing the suspicion)

Regulation 96 guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Submit a report

Firearms Regulation 97 requires mandatory notifications from any medical practitioner or nurse who suspects a person in their care has a wound caused by a firearm.

The medical practitioner or nurse must make the report as soon as reasonably practicable after the suspicion has formed and the report must include:

• the name and address of the subject person or if the name and address are not known, a description of the person and
• details of the wound including whether any ammunition or fragment of ammunition has been, or may be recovered from the wound and
• any information provided to the medical practitioner or nurse about the circumstances leading to the infliction of the wound

The medical practitioner or nurse treating a person for a wound they suspect caused by a firearm must take reasonable steps to retain any ammunition or fragment of ammunition from the wound until it is collected by a police officer.

Regulation 97 guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Submit a report

Firearms Regulation 96 requires mandatory notifications from any employer whose business involves the possession or use of a firearm by employees and where they suspect an employee or others are at risk if a person’s access to firearms continues.

Any employer must make a report to the Registrar of Firearms when:

• the employer forms a suspicion
• that an employee
• is suffering from a physical or mental illness, condition or disorder,
• or is in any other circumstance,
• that there is a threat to the employee’s own safety or the safety of others
  -with the employee’s possession or use of a firearm.

The employer must make the report as soon as reasonably practicable after the suspicion has formed. The report must include:

• the name and address of the subject person
• the suspected threat to safety and
• circumstances giving rise to the threat (including the nature of the medical circumstances causing the suspicion)

Regulation 96 guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Submit a report

Regulation 94(1) requires the controlling body of a recognised firearms club must report as soon as practicable any suspicion that:

• a club member is suffering a physical or mental illness, condition or disorder
• or that other circumstances exist
• that cause a threat to the member’s own safety or the safety of others
• and that threat is associated with the member’s possession or use of firearms

The report must include:

• the name and address of the subject club member
• the suspected threat to safety and circumstances that caused the suspicion

Regulation 94 guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Regulation 95 requires the controlling body of a recognised firearms club that holds a reasonable belief a member’s actions or behaviour is a threat to any club persons’ safety, the controlling body must expel the person from the membership of the club.

Submit a report

Regulation 94(2), 94(3) and 94(4) all require persons who are suspicious that a person is prohibited from possessing and using firearms has gained, or attempted to gain, access to a firearms facility.

Recognised Firearm Clubs

Regulation 94(2) compels any:

• member of a recognised club
• employee of a recognised club
• other person engaged (contractor / volunteer) by a recognised club

to report their suspicion that a person prohibited from possessing or using firearms by any court order has gained or attempted to gain access to the grounds of the club.

Commercial Ranges

Regulation 94(3) compels any:

• commercial range operator
• person employed at a commercial range
• other person engaged (contractor / volunteer) at a commercial range

to report their suspicion that a person prohibited from possessing or using firearms by any court order has gained or attempted to gain access to the grounds of the commercial range.

Paint-ball (including gel blaster firearm) Grounds

Regulation 94(4) compels any:

• paint-ball (including gel blaster firearm) operator
• accredited paint-ball (including gel blaster firearm) employee
• other person employed or engaged (contractor / volunteer) at the grounds of a paint-ball (including gel blaster firearm) operator

to report their suspicion that a person prohibited from possessing or using firearms by any court order has gained or attempted to gain access to the grounds of the paint-ball (including gel blaster firearm) operator.

The person with the suspicion must report the matter to a police officer.

Regulation 94(5) guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liabily.

Submit a report

Regulation 93 compels any person who is aware that another person is failing to secure firearms (or other firearm items) as required by the conditions set out in Schedule 1 of the Firearms Regulations is to make a report to the Registrar as soon as practicable.

The report must include:

• the name and address of the other person and
• the location where the firearms are stored (if different to the home address) and
• the circumstances causing the suspicion.

The conditions for firearms storage is available on out Firearms Storage and Security page.

Regulation 93(2) guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Submit a report

Regulation 92 compels any person at, or has access to, premises where a firearm is kept and suspects that:

• another resident at, or has access to, the same premises
• is suffering a physical or mental illness, condition or disorder,
• or that other circumstances exist
• that cause a threat to the person’s own safety or the safety of others
• and that threat to safety is associated with the keeping of firearms at those premises

must report the suspicion to the Registrar as soon as reasonably practicable.

The report must include:

• the name and address of the subject person
• the location of the premises where the firearms is kept
• the suspected threat to safety and circumstances that caused the suspicion, including the nature of the physical or mental illness, condition or disorder.

Regulation 92(2) guarantees a person making a report in good faith will not incur a civil or criminal liability.

Submit a report