17/12/2025
Dear Honorable Member,
You represent many constituents who are law-abiding firearm owners (LAFOs), including primary producers, hunters, and target shooters, who comply strictly with Australia’s fi****ms laws. Your position on the proposed State and Federal firearm legislation reforms will therefore have significant electoral consequence.
At a time of heightened national concern, the overwhelming local, state, national, and international outcry has been for decisive action on the escalating threats of anti-Semitism and failures in immigration and national security policy. This public demand far outweighs the Government’s renewed focus on firearm restrictions.
The use of LAFOs as scapegoats following the heinous terrorist attack committed by Sajid and Naveed Akram at Bondi on Sunday, 14 December, and the subsequent redirection of attention toward firearm reform—rather than confronting the Government’s failures in counterterrorism, border integrity, and anti-Semitism—demonstrates a serious failure of leadership and accountability at both State and Federal levels.
This failure is compounded by the fact that Sajid Akram was issued a NSW fi****ms licence, in direct contradiction of existing State and Commonwealth legislation, including the Fi****ms Act 1996 (NSW), the Fi****ms Regulation 2017 (NSW), and the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
RELEVANT LEGISLATION (FULL PROVISIONS)
Fi****ms Act 1996 (NSW)
Part 2 – Licences and Permits
Division 2 – Licensing Scheme
Section 11 – General restrictions on issue of licences
11(3)
A licence must not be issued unless the Commissioner is satisfied that the applicant:
(a) is a fit and proper person to have possession of fi****ms, and
(b) can be trusted to have possession of fi****ms without danger to public safety or to the peace, and
(c) has a genuine reason for having possession of fi****ms.
11(5A)
A licence must not be issued to a person if the Commissioner is of the opinion, having regard to any criminal intelligence report or other criminal information held in relation to the person, that:
(a) the person is a risk to public safety, or
(b) the issuing of the licence would be contrary to the public interest.
Section 24 – Revocation of licence
24(2)
A licence may be revoked by the Commissioner if:
(c) the Commissioner is of the opinion that the licensee is no longer a fit and proper person to hold the licence.
Fi****ms Regulation 2017 (NSW)
Part 2 – Licences and Permits – General Provisions
Section 5 – Disqualifying offences
For the purposes of the Act, an offence prescribed as a disqualifying offence includes:
(j) an offence relating to terrorism, including:
(i) an offence under Part 6B of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), or
(ii) an offence against Part 5.3 of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth).
Section 20 – Revocation of licence – not in the public interest
The Commissioner may revoke a licence if the Commissioner is satisfied that it is not in the public interest for the licensee to continue to hold the licence.
Criminal Code Act 1995 (Commonwealth)
Part 5.3 – Terrorism
Division 102 – Terrorist Organisations
Section 102.1 – Definitions
Terrorist organisation means:
(a) an organisation that is directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering the doing of a terrorist act, or
(b) an organisation that is specified by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
Close family member of a person means:
(a) a parent, step-parent or grandparent of the person, or
(b) any other person who would be a parent, step-parent or grandparent if the person were a child within the meaning of Part VII of the Family Law Act 1975.
Section 102.8 – Associating with terrorist organisation
102.8(1)
A person commits an offence if:
(a) on two or more occasions, the person intentionally associates with another person who is a member of, or who promotes or directs the activities of, a terrorist organisation; and
(b) the person knows that the organisation is a terrorist organisation; and
(c) the association provides support to the organisation; and
(d) the person intends that the support assist the organisation to expand or continue to exist; and
(e) the person knows that the other person is a member of, or promotes or directs the activities of, the organisation.
APPLICATION OF THE LAW
Under the same strict legislative framework that LAFOs are required to meet—often under threat of severe penalty—both State and Federal Governments failed.
Sajid Akram was not a fit and proper person. He was not an Australian citizen. He was the father of an individual investigated by ASIO for close ties to an Islamic State cell. On any reasonable reading of the legislation cited above, he should never have been granted a fi****ms licence.
This is not a failure of legislation. It is a failure of enforcement, intelligence integration, and ministerial oversight.
The Howard-era gun control framework no longer delivers public safety outcomes. Australian citizens retain no lawful means of effective self-defence, while successive governments continue to permit known risks into the country. The ongoing rejection of any recognition of Castle Law principles further leaves Australians vulnerable to violent crime and terrorism.
CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY
On the evidence outlined above, I formally call for the resignations of NSW Premier Chris Minns and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the grounds of criminal negligence and gross failure to discharge their duty to protect the Australian public.
Yours sincerely,
Chloe Golding
