Australian call to ban handguns

A giant video screen sends a graphic gun control message

By CNN's Grant Holloway

SYDNEY Australia (CNN) -- A new campaign to ban semi-automatic handguns has begun in Australia, two days before the fifth anniversary of the nation's worst-ever shooting.

Semi-automatic rifles and shotguns were banned in Australia in 1996 following the killing of 35 people by lone gunman Martin Bryant on April 28, 1996, at Port Arthur, Tasmania. A further 18 people were wounded in what is still the worst single incident of its type in the world.

However, the legislation introduced then did not include semi-automatic handguns, which many believe are more dangerous than semi-automatic rifles because they are easily concealed. It was two of these handguns which were used to kill 16 children in the Scottish town of Dunblane, again in 1996.

While the British Government moved quickly to outlaw those weapons, they remain legal in Australia.

The Coalition for Gun Control, which is spearheading the campaign, says polls in Australia consistently show around 90 percent of Australians support the banning of these weapons.

The campaign was launched at lunchtime Thursday in Sydney's downtown Martin Place using a giant video screen on which random members of the public were unwittingly targeted in the cross hairs of a gun site. The display prompted a number of calls of complaint to organizers.

Lack of political support

Coalition convener Samantha Lee said the campaign was aimed at removing "the most dangerous weapons available", from Australian society.

While the move has been backed by the Australian Democrats party and the Greens party, neither the Government nor the main opposition party, the Australian Labor party, would get behind the proposed ban, she said.

The Greens party in New South Wales has however introduced a motion in the Upper House of the State legislature to close the handgun loophole.

There are more than 60,000 handguns registered in New South Wales and it is estimated there are around 300,000 in Australia. Last year over 1000 of these handguns were reported stolen.

Britain, never a 'gun culture,' has banned most handguns
Australian officials agreed to stricter gun control

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