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| Port Arthur mass shooting 28 April 1996 |
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On 28 April we commemorate the
tragedy that occurred in 1996 at Port Arthur in Tasmania, Australia,
where 35 people were killed and 18 wounded. This is the largest
massacre ever perpetrated by a single gunman, anywhere in the
world. The murderer used an AR-15 and a FN .308 semi-automatic
rifle - guns that were banned in most of Australia, but legally
available for sale in the state of Tasmania. The public outrage
resulting from the Port Arthur massacre led to the National
Firearms Agreement, which banned all semi-automatic rifles and
shotguns. The Agreement, between federal, state and territory
governments, also harmonised gun laws throughout Australia,
requiring registration of all firearms, proof of good reason
for gun ownership and setting a minimum age of 18 for gun ownership.
The National Coalition for Gun Control was at the forefront
of the campaign for the National Firearms Agreement and continues
to work for a ban on handguns. To find out more about the work
done by Australian IANSA participants, click
here. |
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A year after the tragedy,
three fathers of children killed or injured in the Dunblane
Scotland massacre joined the families of Port Arthur victims
at the site of the shooting.
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