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Port Arthur had survivors: world’s other victims of gun violence Gun violence tends to be measured in lives lost, rather than the much more numerous survivors of gun violence. Gun law advocate, Rebecca Peters, is working to redress the balance.
The American National Rifle Association (NRA), once had its own, well-funded online news channel, NRATV. One year, a reporter for the channel was despatched to London to report on one of the NRA’s adversaries, Rebecca Peters (MAppSci (Res) ’20).
The reporter, who once posted a pro-gun story called “Australia: a nation of defenceless victims”, stood outside a large building, describing it as the headquarters of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). She said this was where Peters and her many minions were supposedly plotting to take guns away from law abiding Americans.
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Port Arthur and battle for tougher gun laws In 1996, while Australians grappled with the horror that unfolded at a popular tourist spot; Rebecca Peters was at the epicentre of pushing for tougher gun laws. With the 25th anniversary of the shooting looming, she explains how it all came together.
In the immediate aftermath of the Port Arthur massacre, Rebecca Peters (MAppSci (Res) ’20) spent long, frustrating hours in her kitchen sending out faxes on the same phone line she was telling journalists to call her back on (this was before the internet or mobile phones).
The other volunteer members of Australia’s Coalition for Gun Control mostly had full time jobs making it hard for them to be fully on the front line to help, and where could they all work together anyway?