Weapons Act 1990

An authorised officer must decide an application for a permit to acquire a weapon as soon as practicable after the end of any period that may be prescribed for this section under a regulation.

In deciding the application, the authorised officer may consider anything at the officer’s disposal.

The authorised officer must consider the following things when deciding whether the applicant has a need to possess the weapon—

whether the applicant’s requirements can be adequately met in a way not involving the use of a weapon or by using a weapon of another category or type;

whether the applicant possesses other weapons, and in particular other weapons of that category or type;

another thing prescribed under a regulation.

To remove any doubt, a collector may have a need for a particular weapon even though the collector already possesses a weapon of the same category or type.

The authorised officer must—

approve the application and issue the permit to acquire subject to any conditions the authorised officer may decide; or

reject the application.