Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis has told The Advocate gun owners and others who signed details on the registry were, in some cases, easily able to glean the owner names and addresses of other properties where multiple firearms were stored in Tasmania.

Ms Davis said this lack of confidentiality in the system meant it was at risk of being abused by individuals, not law-abiding gun owners on the registry, intent on stealing guns from private properties, or passing on private details to criminals.

In the 2012-2013 financial year, more than 220 firearms were stolen in Tasmania, yet very few were recovered.

In some cases the firearms were burgled from household storages immediately after the owner had registered their guns.

Tasmania Police has repeatedly assured the community the firearm registry data has not been illegally accessed.

However, Ms Davis said she was concerned sourcing details about gun owners and their addresses could be as simple as signing in your name at an office building and taking note of all the other names and details above you on the guest book.

‘‘I’m not suggesting you can get a list of everyone that’s got guns, but ...  it’s like when you sign in to an office building, you can see who is above you,’’ Ms Davis said.

‘‘In this day and age there should be a better way of doing things. 

Let’s be clear,  I’m not a gun owner. 

‘‘I have never filled in the register, but I’m telling you what I have been told [by concerned farmers].’’

The TFGA has also made its concerns about the firearm registry known to the current federal Senate committee inquiry in Canberra looking into gun related violence in the community, noting in its recent submission that the registry lacked confidentiality safeguards.

‘‘In order to ensure that information about location of firearms remains confidential, state authorities should be looking to eliminate the need for the provision of addresses on various firearm forms and registers,’’ the TFGA noted.

‘‘The firearms registry has all firearm locations recorded on their databases.

‘‘Including address details on forms and registers adds nothing to the process, but rather increases the risk that the address information will be misused.

‘‘Making some minor and relatively simple changes to the information held in paper and publicly accessible registers would be a simple but effective method of improving security. 

‘‘Any forms would require name and firearms licence only; with addresses and other relevant information collated only within the security of the registry.

‘‘Similarly,  an approach that dispensed with a consolidated register at counter level, but instead dealt with individual data records would limit the possibility of information being misused.’’

Source: The Advocate