The nutters at the NRA have got it wrong on Australia

The nutters that run the National Rifle Association in the USA have published an article criticising Australia’s gun laws.In a breathtaking example of the triumph of fictive ideology over brute fact they declare the gun law reform implemented by Prime Minister John Howard has infringed on our liberties without making Australia any safer. The headline, “Australia. There Will Be Blood” suggest a more dangerous place.

Hmm, I don’t think so. Compare the list of gun massacres in the 15 years prior to the gun law reform with the 19 years since.

1981 Campsie
1984 Wahroonga, Milperra
1987 Top End, Hoddle St, Canley Vale, Queen St
1988 Oenpelli
1990 Surry Hills
1991 Strathfield
1992 Central Coast
1993 Cangal
1996 Hillcrest, Port Arthur

GUN LAW REFORM

2014 Lockhart

And it’s not only massacres that have declined. The rate of homicide has halved since the introduction of gun law reform in 1996.

I’ll take Australia’s gun laws over those of the USA every day of the week.

For a rigorous study of this issue see Andrew Leigh’s paper in American Law and Economics Review V12 N2 2010 (509–557) available at http://andrewleigh.org/pdf/gunbuyback_panel.pdf