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A group of medical professionals has argued a relaxation of Tasmanian gun laws will result in weakening government action plans on family violence and suicide. Medics for Gun Control on Monday appeared at the lower house’s inquiry into the government’s planned firearms reforms and said more guns in the community would result in more devastating domestic violence incidences and could drive up suicide numbers. Group spokesman Phill Pullinger said there was no practical way for a general practictioner or medical professional to report concerns on the mental state of people licensed hold guns. “Mental health is such a strong part of both of these incidences,” he said. “There is still a large number of deaths in Australia from gun-related violence. “It’s not just the people who are killed; it’s the family, friends and communities that are impacted. “We’ve been fortunate in the improvement to safety that has occurred through the National Firearms Agreement but there is still a very real risk.” Dr Pullinger said guns laws needed to be strengthened not weakened. TFGA chief executive Peter Skillern said the National Firearms Agreement was a national agreement in name more than practice. "You have states that have suppressors, you have states that allow farmers to hold pistols," Mr Skillern said. "Each state is virtually inconsistent in terms of its storage requirements. "If you have a national agreement on anything, it should be consistent from state to state." Greens justice spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said Tasmania had always lived up to the agreement regardless of whether other states had failed. Mr Skillern said those states had sought to address inconsistencies as a result of poorly drafted legislation and the NFA needed to be reviewed. “There is a clear need for there to be adjustments to the legislation to make it not only contemporary but to clear up those errors that were inadvertently put in back in 1996.” he said. TFGA Firearms Standing Committee chairperson Don Jones said restrictions on Category C weapons did not make sense as Category B weapons in general fired faster and had higher calibres. He said there were more browsing animals now than in the past and farmers had to deal with animal and vermin problems which did not exist at the time the NFA was ratified. "Mistakes were made in 1996 and they need to be now rectified," Mr Jones said. "They never got corrected at the time because it was a political situation."

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