Recreational hunting is considered a genuine reason for holding a gun licence – but authorities say the system is too easy to exploit Australia was once the gold standard for gun safety. Is it losing control? Read more from our investigation into gun control in Australia In a small courtroom in Lismore in northern New South Wales in June, a senior firearms registry official gave evidence of a disturbing gap in Australia’s gun control laws. The court was exploring the circumstances of a murder-suicide, in which a father, Wayne Smith, shot dead his 15-year-old son, Noah, before turning the gun on himself. Smith was licensed to own a firearm because he had told authorities he was going to use it for recreational hunting, one of a handful of genuine reasons used to possess guns across most jurisdictions. Continue reading...