UPDATE: Authorities in Canberra are sounding the alarm as ACT Policing reports a troubling rise in the seizure of 3D-printed guns, with 11 items recovered since the start of 2023. The situation has escalated to a point where officials are calling for an urgent review of firearm laws across Australia.
Earlier this month, a 24-year-old man from Gungahlin was arrested after allegedly manufacturing a 3D-printed firearm. Police confiscated his laptop as part of the investigation. While there are currently no confirmed links between organized crime and this trend, a police spokesperson indicated that the technology could increasingly attract criminal groups as it becomes more accessible.
The alarming emergence of these untraceable weapons raises significant safety concerns. An ACT Policing spokesman stated, “The concerns with a 3D-printed firearm is that it’s a lethal item that can be produced in a home, and that it can then be used to injure or kill a person.” Traditional firearms are tightly regulated, and the ability to bypass these regulations with 3D printing poses a serious threat.
In a related case, Luigi Mangione, a 27-year-old American, allegedly used a 3D-printed gun in a shooting incident in New York last year. This case underscores the potential dangers of unregulated firearm technology, which is now becoming a pressing issue in Australia.
So far this year, authorities have seized four unregistered and untraceable 3D-printed firearms, including one that was demonstrated by an ACT teacher to students. Had this occurred in states like New South Wales or Tasmania, the teacher could have faced legal repercussions for downloading digital firearm files.
Australia’s regulatory landscape remains inconsistent, with the ACT being one of the few jurisdictions without specific laws addressing the possession of digital blueprints for manufacturing firearms. Recently, South Australia introduced a Firearms Amendment Bill to prohibit individuals from possessing such blueprints.
Dr. Andrew Hemming, an associate professor of law at the University of Southern Queensland, emphasized the urgent need for uniform legislation. “Regulating 3D guns or ghost guns is very difficult,” he explained. “Legislators in NSW and Tasmania have already made it an offence to download a digital blueprint for firearm manufacture, and this should be standard across all jurisdictions.”
The Australian Border Force recently reported seizing over 1,000 firearms and parts, which included 281 items produced through 3D printing methods. Dr. Hemming warned that Australia’s status as a relatively “gun-free” society could be at risk if this trend continues unchecked.
Authorities in the ACT are currently working to enhance firearms management and safety. A spokesperson confirmed, “This includes reforms to policy and legislation governing firearms in the ACT, such as introducing a specific offence relating to digital blueprints.”
As the technology evolves, the urgency for uniform laws governing 3D-printed firearms in Australia cannot be overstated. The implications are dire, and the call for action is now more pressing than ever.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops. The safety of Australian communities may very well depend on how quickly lawmakers can respond to this emerging threat.
