Bill in Australia: Makes it Illegal to do anything related to 3D printing of guns

[Eddie]

Seems like there are politicians all around the world that do not want to see the 3D printing of guns become an issue. One politician in Queensland Australia has just introduced a bill that would make basically any activity related to the 3D printing of weapons illegal. The bill still must pass. More details on the bill at: http://3dprint.com/4206/australia-bi...l-3d-print-gun What do you guys think? Should this bill pass or not? Why or why not?

[RobH2]

This issue is so polarizing like so many others. I'm taking a risk by stating my personal view here (and don't hate me Americans who love the right to "bear arms") but we really don't need any guns at all. I know that hunters need to cull herds but besides that, guns are a problem. Now having said that, the cat it out of the bag. There are billions of guns circulating in the world and adding millions of 3d printed guns is not going to make matters much worse. It's like heroin use, it you need heroin, you'll get some. If you want a gun to shoot someone, you can easily get one. Whether you network in a shady neighborhood or sit at home and print your own, if you want a gun to do evil with, you'll get one.

The problem is people. Until we figure out why everyone wants to go around shooting each other (now I'm getting off topic, but, hey, it is all related) then no legislation will solve anything. It's sort of like poverty. People say that poverty breeds criminals. Down and out people have no resources so they have to mug, steal and shoot their way along to survive. Many people don't like welfare, handouts and entitlement. "You need to work hard for your money, not be lazy and contribute," many will say. But, what, just what if, we, with the help of the billionaires of country (let's keep it simpler and talk just about the USA for now) gave everyone enough money so that they were not destitute? Would crime go down because people didn't have to steal to survive? I don't know, I'm not a sociologist but the question is valid. Unfortunately, it's something that will never happen so we'll never know.

Who knows why people need so many guns but I don't think legislation to outlaw 3d printed guns will ease the number of crimes committed with guns. It will just make for fewer crimes with them and that same crime will most likely be committed with a metal one. People get carried away but legislating everything possible. But until we fix people, we can't fix crime.

[Geoff]

You dont need a 3d printer to make a gun. People have been making things shoot other things for centuries -don't blame the 3D printer, blame the man responsible...

P.S here is the video of the guy with the PVC pipe gun...

[doodadDoes]

It's been said, and I'll echo it...

Making guns from machines in your garage is about 100 years old. At the moment 3D printers aren't even the best method of doing it.
The whole argument and chatter about this is so ridiculous that it makes me mad to even think about it... I guess it just shows the naivety of our politicians thinking that 3d printers have some magical method of producing weapons that lathes, mills, or Bunnings does not have. So dumb.

[old man emu]

Just to make things clear for you people in other countries ...

The rest of Australia thinks that the Government of Queensland is an assembly of red-necked crooks. The Palmer United Party is a very minor political party in Australia and has not got the parliamentary numbers to play "pass the parcel" let alone pass legislation.

Yes we have very strict gun laws, and as I have said previously in relation to this topic, it is illegal to posses any part of a firearm, or ammunition without a licence. Sure the crims have guns, but no crim worth his swagger would touch a 3D printed gun.

The action of this parliamentarian is just headline grabbing bullshit and should be treated as such.

Now let me get back to printing a nice sharp shiv.

Old Man Emu

[Compro01]

Sure the crims have guns, but no crim worth his swagger would touch a 3D printed gun.

I'm fairly sure they're leap on that solid concepts M1911 duplicate. Or they would, if the printer to make it didn't cost somewhere around half a million dollars.

This will need to be addressed when metal-capable 3D printer prices come out of the stratosphere, but for now, it's a non-issue.

[Roxy]

P.S here is the video of the guy with the PVC pipe gun...

Did anybody notice he hit what he was aiming at?

[3dfilemarket]

There is just no need for 3dprinting of guns. The world is a crazy place as it is with the current firearms available out there. The last thing we want is more weapons unregulated and out on the streets or even worse in the airports or being brought into schools by manic crazy people. I remember last year when police in manchester thought a model maker was printing guns in a gun factory and the news went viral. The result was he was printing a replacement part for his 3dprinter and just happened to own air rifles as well. Guns are nothing new but the less unregulated guns we have the better.

[RobH2]

This debate is somewhat similar to debates about religion or politics. Certainly, we can all agree that having harder to detect guns is not good for schools and airplanes. But legislating against 3d printed guns will be about as effective as legislating against drugs. It won't really affect availability. What we really need to be trying to fix is the root cause of the need for guns and drugs and that's poverty, disenfranchisement and lack of economic opportunity. The way to do it is to go ahead and outlaw 3d printed guns (well, all from my perspective) but don't spend billions trying to enforce the law so stringently because you'll never stem the flow. Instead, enforce the law at a reasonable level and redirect the majority of those saved funds into public assistance programs to ease the the burden on peoples lives that drive them to drugs and crime. You could spend the entire GNP of the US on enforcement and you'll still have plenty of drug and gun related offenses. Fix the cause, not the result.

[old man emu]

What we really need to be trying to fix is the root cause of the need for guns and drugs and that's poverty, disenfranchisement and lack of economic opportunity.

Sorry, RobH2. That might be a Utopian explanation for the causes of gun crime, and one which ultimately we all know will never rein in the problem. However, looking into the USA from outside its borders, I think that the problem could be moderated by:

1. Outlawing the NRA as a terrorist organisation
2. Amending you Constitution to remove the section about the Right to bear arms.
3. Banning the use of firearms in TV and movies.
4. Convincing Hollywood that motion picture stories which rely solely on violence run close to being pornographic.

I'm not trying to flame my many American friends, but a good friend has the duty to try to prevent a friend from doing anything harmful.

Old Man Emu