Issue link: http://ssaansw.uberflip.com/i/398338
Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 8 Legal Matters Of more interest was the fact that following an investigation into the incident, it was revealed the bag was left in the airline's lost and found section by a member of the Australian Federal Police who had been using it for the purposes of training its bomb detection dogs. It was also revealed that the airline was unaware of the existence of the explosives lined bag before it was handed to the woman. The Australian Federal Police Airport Commander Wayne Buchhom in a statement apologised for the breach and said there was no risk to the public. It will be interesting to see what the proposed Professional Standards Investigation of the dog instructor who inadvertently left the explosive in the bag behind, as promised by Commander Buchhom, reveals and what action, if any, will be taken against this officer? Will the officer be charged with an offence? Will the officer be suspended or banned from using a firearm or other explosive devices because of the apparent breach? Will the result of this investigation even be revealed to the public? I have acted for many shooters in both Court and Tribunal proceedings where allegations have been made of people possessing items such as inert WWI and WWII hand grenades as collector's items or had ammunition for a firearm in a locked box but in the same section of their gun safe as their firearm. The recurring theme from the Police in the course of these proceedings is that the actions of these people; "posed a risk to the public." It would appear from the Commander's comment that there is a double standard when it comes to what constitutes a risk to the public, based on whether it is a Police Officer who has committed a breach or a member of the public. I won't be holding my breath waiting for any public release of the Professional Standards Investigation or for any change to this apparent double standard. Stephen Mainstone The information contained in this article is general in nature and should not be considered legal advice. Should you require legal advice relevant to a particular matter concerning you, it is always advisable to contact a lawyer. Mainstone Lawyers is able to provide legal advice regarding all firearms and other Police related matters. Contact our office on (02) 9531 0322, email at info@mainstonelawyers.com.au or on our website www.mainstonelawyers.com.au A DOUBLE STANDARD? I noted with interest recently of a report in the newspaper where a woman at Sydney Airport was given a bag as a replacement for her damaged bag by the airline she was travelling with which contained an unarmed bomb. The woman only discovered the unarmed device in the bag about three weeks later. Have you looked at the SSAA NSW website lately? www.ssaansw.org.au Like our Facebook page and keep up with the latest: www.facebook.com/ssaansw