Australian Capital Territory
Firearms (Use of Noise Suppression Devices) Declaration 2017 (No 4)
Disallowable instrument DI2017-284
made under the  
Firearms Act 1996, s 31 (Firearms declarations by registrar)
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Section 31 (1) (c) of the Firearms Act 1996 (the Act) permits the Registrar of Firearms to declare that something is not a prohibited firearm.  Schedule 1 of the Act defines a prohibited firearm as including ‘a firearm to which there is attached any article or device capable of muffling, reducing or stopping the noise created by firing the firearm’.  These devices are commonly known as noise suppression devices.

In certain circumstances, the use of firearms fitted with noise suppression devices in strictly controlled circumstances is reasonable and necessary.

The circumstances that this instrument declares that the use of a noise suppression device is reasonable and necessary are where:
•	people are authorised to undertake animal management activities for the ACT Government; and
•	firearms dealers, who are also licensed to manufacture firearms or noise suppression devices, need to undertake quality controls, such as test firing, during the manufacturing process; and
•	employees of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation are undertaking an expedition to collect museum specimens.

This instrument prescribes the requirements to be met for a firearm fitted with a noise suppression device to not constitute a prohibited firearm under the Act.