The off topic thread 6.0

[SM]

The wrong hands already have access to them if they really want them.

They will ban machetes and the only people who will still have them is the criminal.

Except you and I aren't allowed to own anything to counter that weapon.

There's more guns out there now than there was before Port Arthur. Have we seen any massive rise in gun crimes with that rise in gun ownership?

Er, that's kind of the point. Have we? And if we haven't, why not?

 

[Bostonian]

Er, that's kind of the point. Have we? And if we haven't, why not?

Because we have plenty enough rules to trust the registered gun owners to know how to use and when to use a gun in appropriate circumstances.

That should allow for self-defence of one's home and family with a gun also.

 

[SM]

Because we have plenty enough rules to trust the registered gun owners to know how to use and when to use a gun in appropriate circumstances.

That should allow for self-defence of one's home and family with a gun also.

But you just said it's criminals who have the guns and in higher quantity than before? So why aren't we seeing huge waves of gun violence?

 

[Bostonian]

But you just said it's criminals who have the guns and in higher quantity than before? So why aren't we seeing huge waves of gun violence?

No I didn't.

I said there are more guns out there than before Port Arthur.

Nothing to do with criminals. All registered guns.

That's how we know there are more guns out there than before PA...

 

[SM]

No I didn't.

I said there are more guns out there than before Port Arthur.

Nothing to do with criminals. All registered guns.

That's how we know there are more guns out there than before PA...

But you said by making something illegal it means criminals will just have their hands on things and law abiding citizens will be left at risk. If that's not what's happened with guns and registered guns are out there then what's your issue with gun regulations?

 

[Bostonian]

But you said by making something illegal it means criminals will just have their hands on things and law abiding citizens will be left at risk. If that's not what's happened with guns and registered guns are out there then what's your issue with gun regulations?

The issue is people can't use them to protect their own lives.

It's the attitude of politicians (and many of their followers) that people shouldn't be allowed to neutralise these threats but instead hope that you survive the ordeal and then call the Police.

It's an attitude that it's better people die or get messed up by crims than actually take the criminals out.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

The issue is people can't use them to protect their own lives.

It's the attitude of politicians (and many of their followers) that people shouldn't be allowed to neutralise these threats but instead hope that you survive the ordeal and then call the Police.

It's an attitude that it's better people die or get messed up by crims than actually take the criminals out.

A firearm is easier to use and i think most people would rather be at a distance firing a pistol than up close with a knife or having a full punch on with an intruder. The problem is, if a law came in that for instance, every household can have a registered firearm that's locked in a safe and legally can be used to defend yourself, a lot of people will agree to those terms (I would), but there's just a risk far too great that it gets ugly, with a lot more shootings in Australia.

I agree that we need better means to protect ourselves, but guns aren't the answer to that.

 

[Magma]

you reap what you sow

 

[Frank Bunn]

Violence is never the answer but I think a lot of people are fed up with all the shit happening (stabbing, crime, home invasions etc) and feel like enough isn’t being done to protect us (speaking about Melbourne, it’s become a shitshow). People will start taking matters into their own hands.

The issue is with the ****wits committing these acts, if they want to kill, they’ll kill with any weapon. We ban machetes, they’ll just use knives, so we ban knives, they’ll use hammers.

We need harsher penalties, like look what happened with that poor Ukrainian girl in the US, stabbed to death by a guy who shouldn’t have been anywhere near the public, absolute joke!!

Many of the violent offences in Melbourne are being carried out by people who are on bail for previous violent offences. I've lost count of the number of times the government has said they will tighten the bail laws.

I had a break-in at 4am one night. Fortunately they left when I heard them and I shouted out. I didn't even see them but it traumatised me for months. I would wake up at the slightest noise in the house and have to check every room. The psychologist said it was 'hyper-vigilance' caused by an overactive amygdala. I started keeping a baseball bat and bread knife under my bed. At the time, if I could have bought a handgun I would have done. After my brain calmed down and I could think rationally again I put the bread knife away. The machete ban is silly. As you say, other types of knives and weapons can do similar damage.

 

[ADL9798]

"It’s long past time for all Americans and the media to confront the fact that violence and murder are the tragic consequence of demonizing those with whom you disagree day after day, year after year, in the most hateful and despicable way possible."​

Good. Yes. Thank you Donald. 100% agreed. Sign me up.

For years, those on the radical left have compared wonderful Americans like Charlie to Nazis and the world’s worst mass murderers and criminals. This kind of rhetoric is directly responsible for the terrorism that we’re seeing in our country today, and it must stop right now."​

You must be kidding. How has he kept a straight face while saying this. The pot calling the kettle black

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Julian Knight was trained in weapons.

 

[ADL9798]

The escalation in violence in US politics (including Charlie Kirk's murder today, the 2025 assassination of Democrat politicians in Minnesota, the 2024 Trump assassination attempt, the 2022 attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, and the January 6th riots) is the sad but inevitable consequence of politicians, influencers and other prominent figures deliberately, maliciously and for profit or personal gain feeding the monster and escalating division and hatred in a country where people with mental illness face zero barriers whatsoever to accessing weapons that have no place outside a war zone.

There is no place for it on either side of politics, and there are very obvious practical solutions to these issues that American politicians have the power to address if they really wanted to.

I am incredibly grateful to live in a more sensible country where neither of these issues are a major concern. Long may it continue.

 

[SM]

The issue is people can't use them to protect their own lives.

It's the attitude of politicians (and many of their followers) that people shouldn't be allowed to neutralise these threats but instead hope that you survive the ordeal and then call the Police.

It's an attitude that it's better people die or get messed up by crims than actually take the criminals out.

Why can't people use them? As you said, plenty of legal gun owners in Australia, and very minimal gun crime. Seems things are working pretty well?

 

[Bostonian]

Why can't people use them? As you said, plenty of legal gun owners in Australia, and very minimal gun crime. Seems things are working pretty well?

Because you can't own firearms for self defence in Australia.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The opposition in this state are the most maddening entity. They should have a lay down misere at the next election but will likely conspire to allow the worst government in the country yet another term.

From COVID measures at the time stated as from expert advice now under FOI confirmed to have been a lie. Locked down in Draconian fashion on the whim of our worst premier, with his successor the 2nd worst premier in the decision process.

To the endless contracts they'll abandon costing taxpayers money. Gotta love those Glasgow games we're paying for.

To the egregious levels of debt the state is in, at risk of losing its credit rating, and costing the taxpayer $21m a day in interest, which will rise to $29m by 2030.

To the $300k spent per bin to install machete bins in front of police stations across Melbourne.

New levies (via council rates) for emergency services replacing a levy already in place so unpopular there's protests across the state and many councils including mine object to it's existence. All a part of 61 new or increased taxes introduced. So many extra taxes and we're still broke as ****.

Complete inability to deal with crime, often from offenders released on bail borne out of the governments unwillingness or incompetence to properly reform bail laws.

And just today, this has been the Andrews government's major platform since first being elected. The big build and their crusade on level crossings. A decade of this big build and The Age today lifts the lid on the systemic failures, wasteful spending and corruption of their pet project and helps to understand why we're broke as a state.

And they'll get back in because the LNP couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery they're that inept atm.

Government under fire over Big Build corruption

Premier Jacinta Allan has rebuffed suggestions she misled Victorians over her knowledge of damaging corruption allegations.

www.theage.com.au

https://archive.md/2025.09.10-231034/https://www.theage.com.au/national/leaked-files-show-big-build-went-bad-years-ago-as-former-corruption-chief-calls-for-major-inquiry-20250910-p5mtty.html

 

[Bradesmaen]

To the $300k spent per bin to install machete bins in front of police stations across Melbourne.

You should watch media watch. It isn't 300k per bin, it's barely 3k and all other measures are in the same funding package. It's amazing how the media can distort things.

 

[SM]

Because you can't own firearms for self defence in Australia.

Ok? You're going around in circles on this without actually addressing the key point. You started by saying that illegal weapons just end up in the hands of criminals, but then said that legal guns are held in higher numbers than before the ban. So where are all the illegal guns and all the gun crime? You keep struggling to answer this.

 

[Bostonian]

How often have you two seen a shooting or stabbing happen right in front of you?

I've witnessed all kinds of violence upon people.

Seen a guy get glassed in the head that resulted in him losing an eye.

Have seen the aftermath of three stabbing deaths.

I mean I was picking up my new car and walked past the street where they were loading up Ashely Gordon's car.

Walked past the active crime scene of Paul Grapsas stabbing murder.

Walked past the active crime scene of Jayne Sykes stabbing death and saw the blood.

Then as a family we had to deal with the stabbing death of a 15 year old family member in QLD.

So yeah, seen more than you obviously have.

 

[SM]

I've witnessed all kinds of violence upon people.

Seen a guy get glassed in the head that resulted in him losing an eye.

Have seen the aftermath of three stabbing deaths.

I mean I was picking up my new car and walked past the street where they were loading up Ashely Gordon's car.

Walked past the active crime scene of Paul Grapsas stabbing murder.

Walked past the active crime scene of Jayne Sykes stabbing death and saw the blood.

Then as a family we had to deal with the stabbing death of a 15 year old family member in QLD.

So yeah, seen more than you obviously have.

You seem to be around a lot of crime scenes.. purely coincidentally of course..

 

[Bostonian]

Ok? You're going around in circles on this without actually addressing the key point. You started by saying that illegal weapons just end up in the hands of criminals, but then said that legal guns are held in higher numbers than before the ban. So where are all the illegal guns and all the gun crime? You keep struggling to answer this.

No the issue is you not comprehending.

Gun regulations are fine in regards to owning them.

Not allowing people whose lives may be saved by them in their own homes is the issue.

I mean do you even understand all the hoops they make people go through to store their guns which make them almost impossible to defend yours or your families life with?

 

[RPCB]

I've witnessed all kinds of violence upon people.

Seen a guy get glassed in the head that resulted in him losing an eye.

Have seen the aftermath of three stabbing deaths.

I mean I was picking up my new car and walked past the street where they were loading up Ashely Gordon's car.

Walked past the active crime scene of Paul Grapsas stabbing murder.

Walked past the active crime scene of Jayne Sykes stabbing death and saw the blood.

Then as a family we had to deal with the stabbing death of a 15 year old family member in QLD.

So yeah, seen more than you obviously have.

And long may that continue.

Not that I want you to see any more that you already have.

 

[Bostonian]

You seem to be around a lot of crime scenes.. purely coincidentally of course..

It's called an occupation.

Not everyone is a soft office worker

 

[joop]

If I'm trained and registered with that firearm, easy access to the weapon is desirable.

Man what a dumb ****ing argument.
There is a way higher likelihood that the gun you have in your house will be used on someone you know or yourself, than protecting your home from an intruder.

As someone who lives in a city that has 1 or 2 shootings a week, more guns is not the answer. It’s probably the dumbest logic you could have.

 

[Bostonian]

Man what a dumb ****ing argument.
There is a way higher likelihood that the gun you have in your house will be used on someone you know or yourself, than protecting your home from an intruder.

No there isn't.

That's your dumb argument done for.

As someone who lives in a city that has 1 or 2 shootings a week, more guns is not the answer. It’s probably the dumbest logic you could have.

Did I say more guns is the answer?

We're discussing Australia here.

It's the highly limited access to our weapons for personal protection is the issue.

Not the regulations of what it takes to own a gun. They are fine.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

You should watch media watch. It isn't 300k per bin, it's barely 3k and all other measures are in the same funding package. It's amazing how the media can distort things.

Oh we're saved then. it's 13m so well spent because its gone to advertising or some other bullshit.
We'll only have to pay 20.9m in interest today.