Gun Control Australia
Encyclopedia
Gun Control Australia is a gun-control lobbying group in Australia
. The group was formed in 1981 to press for stricter gun laws. Its President is John Crook.
in Hoddle Street
and Queen Street
in Melbourne
, Australia, 1987.
The organisation was renamed to "Gun Control Australia" (GCA) in 1988.
Gun Control Australia produces books on the social, ethical and legal aspects of gun misuse. It claims to be a fully independent body with no connections to political parties, unions or professional organisations. It lobbies parliamentarians and actively opposes the "Gun Lobby" in Australia.
GCA has claimed that the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
(SSAA), a federated group of sporting clubs with over 100,000 members, is 'extremist' and 'pro-violence'. In 1995 GCA were taken to court for this comment. GCA's lawyers defended the case successfully on the then-new basis that they were engaging in constitutionally-protected free speech. The judge found that:
In a media release on 8 April 2002, titled "Hail Carr, Hail the Great Pretender" John Crook made a claim that the SSAA had "produced" a person convicted of a firearm-related manslaughter in Victoria. Mr Crook subsequently apologised unreservedly and agreed to meet the SSAA legal costs. Mr Crook also agreed to forward a copy of his apology to everyone who received the original media release
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The group was formed in 1981 to press for stricter gun laws. Its President is John Crook.
History
Gun Control Australia was formed by activist John Crook, who from the late 1970s wrote articles and made presentations challenging the basis of private ownership of firearms. In 1981, Mr Crook used the public concern from the killing of two girls in separate crimes in 1981, and with the support of the victims' parents formed "The Council to Control Gun Misuse". The group was strengthened after the spree killingsSpree killer
A spree killer is someone who embarks on a murderous assault on two or more victims in a short time in multiple locations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a spree killing as "killings at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders."-Definition:According to the...
in Hoddle Street
Hoddle Street massacre
The Hoddle Street massacre is a spree killing that occurred on the evening of Sunday, 9 August 1987 in Hoddle Street, Clifton Hill, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.The shootings resulted in the deaths of seven people, and serious injury to 19 others...
and Queen Street
Queen Street massacre
The Queen Street massacre was a spree killing suicide that occurred on 8 December 1987 at the Australia Post offices at 191 Queen Street in Melbourne, Australia...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia, 1987.
The organisation was renamed to "Gun Control Australia" (GCA) in 1988.
Activities
The President of the organisation, John Crook, has written or edited many articles and books, published under the banner of Gun Control Australia. GCA maintains a website and occasionally features in media reports on gun law issues.Gun Control Australia produces books on the social, ethical and legal aspects of gun misuse. It claims to be a fully independent body with no connections to political parties, unions or professional organisations. It lobbies parliamentarians and actively opposes the "Gun Lobby" in Australia.
Membership size
Only two members, President John Crook and Vice President Randy Marshall, have appeared in the media in recent years. Membership numbers are not known. At the height of its popularity in 1997, there were branches in other states but these have not been active for some years.Litigation history
GCA has asserted that:
Our logic is that shooters are the most ill-disciplined group… That’s what attracts them to guns. It’s a state of mind… They are usually poorly educated, they have never had success at school and were never very good at sport… Guns to them represent something they have never been able to achieve.
GCA has claimed that the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia
The Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia was established in 1948 to promote shooting sports and protect firearm owners' interests. The SSAA currently has over 120,000 members, making it the largest body representing licensed firearm owners in Australia, and covers all aspects of shooting...
(SSAA), a federated group of sporting clubs with over 100,000 members, is 'extremist' and 'pro-violence'. In 1995 GCA were taken to court for this comment. GCA's lawyers defended the case successfully on the then-new basis that they were engaging in constitutionally-protected free speech. The judge found that:
In his opening for the plaintiff, Mr Wilson described Crook as a zealot - a description I regard as being only slightly exaggerated. In the considerable time he spent in the witness box, Crook gave the impression of being particularly dedicated to, and almost obsessed with the subject of gun control.
In a media release on 8 April 2002, titled "Hail Carr, Hail the Great Pretender" John Crook made a claim that the SSAA had "produced" a person convicted of a firearm-related manslaughter in Victoria. Mr Crook subsequently apologised unreservedly and agreed to meet the SSAA legal costs. Mr Crook also agreed to forward a copy of his apology to everyone who received the original media release