“A week before the sunset clause was due to take effect, [justice minister Michael] Keenan rang me and told me he was reimposing the ban,” Leyonhjelm told The Australian on Tuesday.



“And he said he never had any intention of allowing the shotgun into the country. Now it’s a matter of trust. It’s also a matter of my constituency, which includes 800,000 licensed firearm owners. I’m a spokesman for those folks, so what does the government’s treatment of me say about them?”



The NSW senator confirmed to BuzzFeed News he told the prime minister last month that if his demands aren't met he won't vote for the ABCC.

Turnbull refused to speculate when asked if he planned to loosen Australia's gun laws as part of negotiations with senators to pass the ABCC legislation.



Instead, he said the regulation of firearms was a state and territory issue.



"The importation ban on the lever-action Adler shotgun, over more than five rounds, was introduced and has been maintained because of a failure to date of that state and territory group to reach a resolution on it," he told ABC radio.



Turnbull described Australia's gun laws as one of the "great achievements" of the Howard government and one of the "greatest prides" of the Coalition.

