The amendment to the Ammunitions Control Bill , which will restrict licensed firearm owners to purchasing ammunition for firearms they own and are licensed to use, was introduced to State Parliament this week. It is one of a number of measures announced by the State Government in an attempt to curb the recent number of drive-by shootings and make it easier for police to prosecute offenders.

NSW firearms licenses currently only detail the category of the license held and do not include the types of firearms owned by the holder.

Mr Torbay said he received a number of calls from gun owners in Armidale and surrounding areas, who expressed concerns about the effect of the bill on legal firearm activities.

“We need to make sure that the bill which targets illegal guns in Sydney to try to control the spike in shooting incidents does not have unintended consequences,” he said.

“It is a relatively simple matter to consult with farmers, sporting shooters and others who use firearms legally to ensure they are not the unwitting targets in this effort to control metropolitan crime.

“I would urge the government to undertake that consultation process .”

Shooters who hire firearms through a shooting club will be exempt from the new laws, allowing them to purchase ammunition from the club.

“Those people are registered club members and obviously known to the management. “Records of such sales will still be required,” Mr Torbay said.

Figures provided by NSW Police show 6064 firearms were registered in the 2350 postcode, which includes Armidale, last December.