We knew and trusted our neighbours. We enjoyed a feeling of inclusion and participation in our communities and we instilled in our young people a message of respect and responsibility. Regrettably, however, we are now confronted daily by stories of people, some elderly, some young, most completely innocent, who are being beaten, robbed, and in an alarming number of cases, murdered in their own homes. Not surprisingly for many Australians the effect has been to encourage the concept of firearms ownership for self defence. When I was a boy there were around one million people in Sydney.
Today there are over four million, growing rapidly.
As we become more urbanised the traditional reasons for owning a gun such as hunting and competition will become less and less important and the notion of private firearms ownership for self-defence in one's own home will take on a new and greater significance. In our favour is the excellent work of the study by Lott and Mustard from the United States, which clearly shows that when responsible people, suitably trained, hold firearms for their self defence it can have a very substantial effect on reducing violent crime. I believe that despite John Howard's edicts, self defence will become an increasingly important issue into the future and we as an association must be mindful of this. We must be prepared to lobby on behalf of people's right to own firearms in order to defend themselves, their families and possessions in their own homes. I personally believe that it is a sensible concept and a fundamental principle worth fighting for.