NSW Permit and Transport Requirements for Paintball Markers

Paintball Amendment Bill 2023

21 Nov 2023: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

firearms paintball paintball markers public safety weapon permits

Introduced by: The Hon Anoulack Chanthivong MP (ALP); The Hon Penny Sharpe MLC (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

People must show a marker permit to venue staff before using their own paintball marker at a venue.
Venue permit holders must stop anyone from using their own marker unless they have shown a valid permit.
People transporting paintball markers must use a locked bag or container; the container must hide the marker and not show that it contains one.
People may need both a paintball marker permit and an imitation firearm permit if the marker is also an imitation firearm.
The Police Secretary can authorise people to use paintball markers at places other than approved venues.
People with equivalent dealer licences from other Australian states can supply paintball markers to authorised suppliers.
Paintball marker permits now allow the holder to buy or own more than one marker.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Scott Farlow LIB

“I lead for the Opposition in debate on the Paintball Amendment Bill 2023, on behalf of the shadow Minister for Fair Trading, Work Health and Safety and Building, the member for Willoughby in the other place. The Coalition is pleased to support the reforms, which come on the back of significant work undertaken in the area by the former Government.”

Official source →

Cameron Murphy ALP

“I speak in support of the Paintball Amendment Bill 2023. It is an excellent bill. It might be quite unusual, but I have played paintball.”

Official source →

Cate Faehrmann GRN

“It is quite extraordinary that with less than four weeks of the sitting year to go, the Paintball Amendment Bill 2023 is the only bill before the House. We could sit through until midnight and legislate reform in many areas that the people of New South Wales are screaming out for.”

Official source →

Robert Borsak SFFP

“I contribute to debate on the Paintball Amendment Bill, having been one of the keenest proponents of change to paintball laws in this place ever since I got here in 2010 when I was mugged by the paintball industry, which could not ever understand why or how they got caught up in the Firearms Act 1996 because, indeed, paintball markers are not firearms. As my friend the Hon.”

Official source →

John Graham ALP

“I contribute to debate on the Paintball Amendment Bill. I will not speak for long.”

Official source →

Anthony D'Adam ALP

“I thank those members who participated in the debate, the Hon. Scott Farlow for the Government—”

Official source →

News articles and press releases

Paintball Amendment Bill 2023

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG, Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading — 2023-09-13

The amendments will clarify the Act’s operation and improve consumer and public safety, while balancing the needs of New South Wales paintball venue operators. Some of the key amendments include strengthening the requirements for when a paintball marker permit holder wants to use their own marker at a licensed venue, strengthening the requirements for transporting paintball markers, allowing for the use of paintball markers outside of authorised venues where it is appropriate and in the public interest, and introducing requirements on interstate paintball marker suppliers to level the playing field for New South Wales suppliers. For example, interstate suppliers will be required to sell paintball markers in New South Wales only through authorised New South Wales suppliers.