RESEARCH revealed by the Greens claims to show how many registered guns are in each postcode area.
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A search of the Morisset postcode of 2264 reveals 362 registered firearms owners in the area, and 1,534 registered firearms.
The largest number of guns held by one registered owner (excluding collectors) in the area is 42.
The Greens say the data reveals the failures of successive governments on gun control, and the emergence of “private arsenals in suburbia”.
You can find out how many guns are in your neighbourhood by searching your postcode on the Greens website TooManyGuns.
Greens MP and gun control spokesperson David Shoebridge said the data for the Hunter was concerning.
“Of the top 100 private arsenals with the most guns, nine are in the Hunter, each with between 79 and 310 guns,” Mr Shoebridge said.
“There are now 100 individuals across the state who own more than 70 guns. One individual in Newcastle owns 310 guns.
“These gun owners are not collectors or arms dealers but private individuals who have been allowed to amass private arsenals.
“This is because a loophole in NSW’s gun laws allows private individuals to use the same reason to buy their first, 10th or 310th gun.”
Mr Shoebridge said this situation must change.
“We need to close this loophole immediately. There is no good reason for a private individual to own hundreds of guns.
“The total number of guns in NSW has jumped by 65,000 in just two years. There are now over 900,000 registered guns across the state and the Hunter has almost 93,000.
“Fewer households own guns, but ownership has become more concentrated. It is inevitable that some of these private arsenals will end up in the hands of criminals.”
Mr Shoebridge said 15 guns were stolen from a property in the Hunter last week.
“If this trend is allowed to continue NSW will have over one million registered guns within another two years.