CHANGE TO SUPPORT HISTORIC FIREARMS MUSEUMS

Historic and unique firearms will continue to be on display in their original form at museums across NSW following a special exemption for certified museum collectors.

Today the NSW Governor gazetted the Firearms Amendment (Museums Firearms Permits) Regulation 2019, allowing the NSW Police Force Commissioner to make exemptions from the requirement for museums to make pistols and prohibited firearms in museum collections 'permanently inoperable'.

Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the decision follows concerns raised by some museums that the Firearms Regulation 2017 required all pistols and prohibited firearms in museum collections be rendered permanently inoperable, regardless of age, danger to the public, or historical value. 

"Community safety is always the Government's top priority and we strive to achieve consistency with legislation. This decision demonstrates that the NSW Government acknowledges the significant safe storage requirement that historic firearms collections maintain while displaying historic firearms items for public viewing," Mr Elliott said.

"After speaking with a number of museum operators and the Police Commissioner, I believe we have achieved the right balance while ensuring pistols and prohibited firearms remain subject to regulation."

Over the upcoming weeks the Firearms Registry will write to all holders of museum firearms permits to advise them of the regulatory changes and the process to apply for an exemption.

Gunnedah Rural Museum Firearms Curator Trent Donoghue has supported these changes. He said, "We're thankful for the common sense approach taken by the NSW Government. These changes will ensure the preservation of historic military firearm collections".