Liberal Democrat senator David Leyonhjelm says he expects an import ban on a controversial rapid-fire shotgun, imposed in the wake of the deadly Sydney siege, will not be extended when it lapses in August.
On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Port Arthur massacre, state and federal governments are considering whether or not to extend a temporary ban on the seven-round Adler shotgun as part of a review of the National Firearms Agreement (NFA).
The matter is set to be on the agenda at the next Council of Australian Governments meeting on April 8, which comes just three weeks shy of 20 years since Martin Bryant killed 35 people at Port Arthur in what remains Australia's worst mass shooting.
Senator Leyonhjelm, who cut a deal with the government to ensure a sunset clause on the ban, believes it will not be extended and has called for authorities to resist pressure to tighten restrictions on five-shot lever-action shotguns.
"It will probably be overtaken by election events and the ban is likely to lapse," Senator Leyonhjelm told AAP.
"My feeling is that the state police ministers realise that there is no problem to be solved; that the availability of lever-action shotguns for the last 20 years has not presented a problem, so there's no need to alter their categorisation."
The Turkish-made lever-action weapon was banned for 12 months in August last year after the review was ordered, only for a modified version that fires five shots to be made available.
Figures obtained from law enforcement agencies and revealed last week by AAP show that since the ban, almost 4000 of the five-shot Adlers have been imported into NSW, Queensland and Victoria, and sold under the least restrictive gun category.
The Australian Greens and the gun control lobby warn allowing imports of the Adler and guns like it means the NFA - struck in the wake of Port Arthur - is at risk of being eroded.
Greens senator Nick McKim said the ban should be extended, and expanded.
"The Australian Greens are extremely concerned about the number of lever-action shotguns pouring into the country, which can only increase the risk to our community and make Australia a less safe place to live and work," he told AAP.
"This is not manufacturer specific. We think the ban on the seven-shot should be extended but it also should be expanded to include five shots and we're assessing our parliamentary options to achieve this," he said.
Senator McKim said some politicians appeared to be "forgetting the lessons that were learned so tragically at Port Arthur".
"There is a gaping whole looming in Australia's gun control framework and it needs to be closed."
