1Multiple firearms storage and possession offences — including insecure storage of firearms and ammunition across two premises, possession of firearm silencers, and possession of reloading powder greatly exceeding permitted quantities — may individually and cumulatively constitute serious firearms offending demonstrating contemptuous disregard for community-protection legislation, even where no actual harm resulted.
2The legislative policy underlying the Firearms (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2015 (Tas) and Firearms Regulations 2016 (Tas) reg 9C reflects a clear community-derived intent that compliance with prescribed storage requirements is a condition of firearm ownership; arguments that firearms were nonetheless practically secure do not diminish the seriousness of non-compliance with those requirements.
3A single fine of less than 10% of the aggregate statutory maximum across multiple firearms offences is not manifestly excessive where the offending warrants both personal and general deterrence and denunciation of the breach of the obligation of trust owed by licensed firearm owners to the community.
