(AU) Homemade .22's, ATGM's and Kangaroos

[RepublicThunderbolt]

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Maces, swords seized

14 May 2002

MEDIEVAL maces and swords, stun guns, a home-made cannon and knuckledusters are among illegal weapons seized by Queensland police.

Police Minister Tony McGrady today said police also found a rocket launcher, crossbows and sawn-off shotguns in the past 12 months.

"In the far northern region, illegal weapons confiscated included a homemade 22 calibre pen gun," he said.

"(They also included) a club studded with nails, throwing stars, knuckledusters, flails, nunchaku, handcuffs and ballistic vests."

Mackay police seized a cannon made from a car battery, and also a Milan rocket launcher, capable of firing anti-tank missiles up to 2km.

Mr McGrady said Cairns police found a home-made electric prodder and medieval maces and swords.

Police investigating an illegal drug laboratory at Carbrook, south of Brisbane, found sawn-off long arms, concealable firearms and crossbows, he said.

AAP

One can certainly infer that the weapon bans are working quite well when the criminal element have "upgunned" to ATGM's. And just how does one go about constructing a cannon out of the parts of a car battery?

Also of interest - LINK

Army to cull roos

14 May 2002

THE Army is to cull more than 40,000 kangaroos at its Puckapunyal base in Victoria, but it won't be using its own soldiers to shoot them.

Professional shooters would make the cull, starting as early as this weekend, a defence department spokesman said.

Colin Trinder, the Defence Department's director of environmental stewardship, said the cull would reduce the numbers to a sustainable level.

Mr Trinder said an estimated 80,000 kangaroos were roaming the base.

Numbers fluctuated depending on conditions and the current drought meant they were concentrated in areas where there was feed and water.

"We will be looking to cull in the vicinity of 40,000 kangaroos over a period of time," he told ABC Radio.

The Defence Department has prepared a kangaroo management plan with the help of Victoria's Department of Natural Resources and Environment and would employ contractors to carry out the cull.

"We don't actually train soldiers in culling kangaroos," Mr Trinder said.

"There's an exquisite irony in that, isn't there, but we actually use professional contractors to do this work for us."

AAP