A Bittersweet Victory for Gun Reform
On the eve of the 28th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, gun reform campaigner Walter Mikac expressed mixed emotions about the federal government's announcement of funding for a national firearms register. While he welcomed the progress, he also acknowledged the frustration of the delay.
Mikac's wife and two daughters were among the 35 people killed in the 1996 tragedy. Since then, he has tirelessly campaigned for stricter gun laws. The new register, he believes, is a culmination of almost three decades of advocacy.
"I would have liked that to have been instigated way back when John Howard introduced the National Firearms Agreement back in 1996," Mikac said. "We've had toing and froing from a number of the states over the years, mainly about watering [the proposals] down."
Despite the delay, Mikac emphasized the importance of the register. He pointed to the success of Australia's gun laws in preventing mass shootings since Port Arthur. "It's incredible proof in the pudding that not having the firearms in our community works," he said.
The new register is a result of a December 2022 agreement between the Prime Minister, Premiers, and Chief Ministers. The funding will be used to establish new systems and ensure consistent record-keeping across states and territories.
Mikac's letters to successive governments and prime ministers were displayed in Parliament House in March 2023. The collection includes his handwritten correspondence with then Prime Minister John Howard in the aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre.
"And the final letter, which I got from Anthony Albanese on that day saying that they're going to make sure that the national firearms register actually is funded and occurs, has also been put into that collection," Mikac said.
"It makes me really proud that it's part of our history that we've taken a really horrific event and made a solid monument and a legacy to all the people that suffered that day.