would oppose any reduction in red tape, background checks, or any attempt to in any way make it easier or faster to own or possess firearms. "I've been a police firearms instructor and I know the damage and destruction guns can cause. Since 2000, half the police gunned down in the line of duty were killed by licensed firearms owners," Mr Leavers said. The Queensland Police Union has previously voiced strong support for numerous policies of the incoming government, including its police recruitment, youth boot camp and tougher sentencing promises. At a media conference this afternoon, Mr Newman said the government was bringing forward tough new laws to deal with illegal handguns but at the same time would look at the administration of licensing. He insisted there would be no relaxation in ownership rules but the potential changes would target the licence renewal process, as there were "some needlessly bureaucratic processes". "It'll be very tough; there's no change to the level of scrutiny required to obtain that licence," he said. "There will be no weakening of gun control in Queensland. I want to be absolutely crystal clear about that." Mr Dempsey said impending legislative changes would give Queensland the toughest illegal firearms laws in the nation, but legal firearms users such as sporting shooters and primary producers were "drowning in red tape". In a written response to a question about why the new panel was made up entirely of gun interests, Mr Dempsey said: "The panel has been devised to