Australian Capital Territory Current Acts

FIREARMS ACT 1996 - SECT 43

    (1)     A person commits an offence if the person—

        (a)     possesses or uses—

              (i)     10 or more firearms; or

              (ii)     3 or more firearms, but less than 10 firearms; or

              (iii)     1 or 2 firearms; and

        (b)     is not authorised by a licence or permit to possess or use each of the firearms.

Maximum penalty:

        (a)     for subsection (1) (a) (i)—imprisonment for 20 years; or

        (b)     for subsection (1) (a) (ii)—imprisonment for 7 years; or

(c)     for subsection (1) (a) (iii)—imprisonment for 5 years.

    (2)     It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against subsection (1) if the defendant proves that the defendant is authorised to possess or use each of the firearms under 1 or more of the following sections:

        (a)     section 136 (Temporary recognition of interstate licences—general);

        (b)     section 137 (Temporary recognition of interstate category C licences);

        (c)     section 138 (Interstate residents moving to ACT—category A, B, and paintball marker licences);

        (d)     section 139 (Interstate residents moving to ACT—category C and H licences);

        (e)     section 140 (Temporary recognition of interstate licences for international visitors—shooting or paintball competitions);

        (f)     section 140A (Temporary recognition of interstate category D licences—vertebrate pest animal control).

Note 1     The defendant has a legal burden in relation to the matters mentioned in s (1A) (see Criminal Code

, s 59).

Note 2     Certain people are exempt from this offence in certain circumstances (see  s 23 and sch 2).

    (3)     In this section:

"firearm" does not include a prohibited firearm.