Lambie rejects call for gun law changes

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie says this week isn't the right time to reopen debate on gun laws, and she won't support moves to weaken controls.

Australian senator Jacqui Lambie in Martin Place

Independent senator Jacqui Lambie says she won't support moves to weaken gun laws. (AAP)

Jacqui Lambie says a crossbench Senate colleague has picked the wrong time and arguments to reopen debate about Australia's gun laws.

Liberal Democratic senator David Leyonhjelm on Thursday renewed his calls for gun controls to be relaxed, saying this week's siege in a Sydney cafe might not have happened if patrons had been allowed concealed weapons.

Senator Lambie said she absolutely would not support moves to weaken gun laws.

"The less weapons we have out on the streets in Australia the better off we will be now and well into the future," she told ABC television on Friday.

She thought Senator Leyonhjelm had mistimed his comments, saying it was not "a good talking point for this week" and debate could wait until after Christmas at least.

The independent senator believed a further crackdown on illegal weapons should happen in the wake of the siege.

Senator Leyonhjelm later tweeted: "When you are opposed by both Jacqui Lambie and John Howard, you must be doing something right."

Mr Howard, who put in place new gun control laws after the Port Arthur massacre, said the LDP senator's analysis of the situation was "simplistic and flawed".


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Published 19 December 2014 7:42am
Updated 19 December 2014 8:48am


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