Airsoft (in) Australia!

For airsoft fans in Australia, the light at the end of the tunnel is coming ever closer. It's an exciting prospect that airsoft, as a mainstream sport in Australia, could soon become a realisation as soon as December 2008. Airsoft Australia have been doing a sterling job of pushing forth the proposals to make airsoft legally accessible.

Currently, airsoft and airsoft guns are illegal for most practical purposes as the current Australian law classifies them as Categroy A weapons (putting them in the same category as break-action shotguns and rimfire rifles). What's more, the process required to acquire one is a lengthy and laborious one.

Airsoft Australia are instrumental in redefining airsoft to be legally accepted, and their proposals have been accepted with positive feedback from the Minister’s Weapons Review Committee in Queensland. As quoted from their website:

“It is with great pleasure I advise that ASA’s proposal for Legislative and Regulatory changes within Queensland has been passed by the Ministers Weapons Review Committee. In conjunction with APMC’s (Australian Police Ministers Council) recent resolutions in relation to Airsoft Replica ownership, ASA’s proposed changes have been forwarded to the Minister for her consideration.”

Airsoft Australia quote from the documentation that they received: “If the proposed timeline remains it is expected that the new Legislation will be enacted early December 2008”. So, airsoft could be legal by the end of the year in Queensland, but what about the other states? Well, although individual states have individual aspects of the law, there are a lot of uniformally adopted ones. Firearms are one of those issues which have been adopted nationwide, so there is a distinct possibility that it would be applied across Australia.

For more information and news on the legalisation of airsoft in Australia, check out:

Airsoft Australia

Airsoft Australia forums

Inside Airsoft