POLICE are appalled that a child can walk through Sydney’s CBD, past the site of an alleged terrorist attack, carrying a toy gun that looks very much like the real thing.
"In this heightened terrorism environment, if someone sees what looks to be a real firearm, regardless of the age of the person carrying it, they’re going to have genuine concerns,” Police Association of NSW president Scott Weber said.
“I think firstly we need education for parents and children and secondly, perhaps, very real-looking replica guns don’t need to be on the market.”
Mr Weber’s comments were prompted by the shocking image of a young boy walking through Martin Place brandishing an imitation AK-47 assault rifle which has prompted the Baird government to consider new laws regulating the sale of realistic toy guns.
The picture shows the lad, who can be no older than nine or 10 years old, just metres from the site of December’s Lindt Cafe siege, with his finger on the trigger of the gun with a “fully loaded” magazine that appears to be a toy.
Mr Weber’s comments were prompted by the shocking image of a young boy walking through Martin Place brandishing an imitation AK-47 assault rifle which has prompted the Baird government to consider new laws regulating the sale of realistic toy guns.
The picture shows the lad, who can be no older than nine or 10 years old, just metres from the site of December’s Lindt Cafe siege, with his finger on the trigger of the gun with a “fully loaded” magazine that appears to be a toy.
The boy’s gun appears to fit that description and, in the wrong hands, could easily be used to threaten someone.
But a loophole exempts “children’s toy” guns, no matter how realistic they look, and all manufacturers have to do to bypass the law is to write “toy” on the packaging or put a removable plug in the barrel.
In 2013, then police minister Mike Gallacher called for a ban on realistic toy guns following a spate of crimes in the Hunter involving imitation firearms.
Mr Weber confirmed there had been “many” incidents across NSW where crimes have been committed by offenders brandishing toy firearms and police have to respond in the same way, regardless of whether the “weapon” is real or not.
He called for toy manufacturers to reconsider supplying realistic toy guns into Australia.
Greens MLC David Shoebridge yesterday said it was essential firearms laws be reviewed. “What the law says is if you produce an imitation firearm and stick it in a bag that has ‘children’s toy’ on it you can sell it,” he said. “That’s not a loophole; that’s a gaping lack of protection in the firearms act.”
