[2011G6E]

I don't think people who don't own firearms realise the astounding mountain of crap legitimate gun owners have to wade through to maintain our licence and keep our guns...

I had to sit through a gun safety course, then apply for a licence, then wait for a background check (It was about three months back in the late nineties when I was forced to get a licence because of the gun laws, not it's up near 5 to 7 months apparently), I had to have the cops prying into my background to make sure I had no priors or AVO's against me.
Then you can apply to buy a gun. Then it's another wait. You also have to prove a "valid reason" to obtain a firearm.
Once you get one, you must keep it stored in a locked steel safe bolted to the floor and wall, with ammunition and removable rifle bolts stored separately in another lock up box.
Then you can be subject to a random "inspection of the storage facilities" by police at any time. I've had it done once...the police turned up unannounced, asked to see my gun safe, and I had to take them inside the house and show them, as well as show them my registration forms and licence. Importantly, I also have informed the missus that if they should happen to turn up one day when I am not home, she is to pretend no knowledge whatsoever of the location of the key to the gun safe. If they asked her to have a look at the safe, she can show them, but if they sneakily try to get her to open it, boom, I'm guilty of "giving access to firearms to an unlicenced person", and I lose my guns and probably my licence as well as a court appearance and heavy fine and criminal record.
If I get convicted of some criminal offence, however minor, I lose my licence and my guns. If I become mentally unstable, my doctor is obligated to inform police and again I lose my guns and licence.
If I want to buy another rifle, I again have to provide a "valid reason to acquire" (even though I already have for the other guns I own), and wait until it's approved.
I can't just go out in the remote bush around our town and have a fun time shooting at tin cans and made up targets...that's illegal.
When I transport my firearms in the car, they have to be locked in the boot, or, if the car doesn't have a boot, it must be in a locked contained chained to the floor by some means, if you want to get really technical with the finer points of the law.


Shame that criminals don't face the same restrictions on their activities...