July 22, 2013
The State Government won’t be listening to a recommendation by Young LNP members to reinstate Cracker Night in Queensland.
The group’s conference at the weekend passed a motion in favour of overturning the ban on private fireworks.
But Resources Minister Andrew Cripps said today he would not be asking his department to review the regulations.
“Fireworks are not toys and are very dangerous in the hands of inexperienced, untrained people. They can result in death or serious injury, including loss of sight, loss of limbs and serious burns,” Mr Cripps said.
“At the time cracker night was banned in Queensland, fireworks were the third-largest cause of eye injury in the State.
“Each year serious incidents occurred, which sometimes left people with permanent serious injuries and disabilities.
“I’m not a supporter of the nanny state or the fun police, but the fact remains fireworks are a type of explosive and these products are properly regulated for good community safety reasons.
Mr Cripps said a ban on unlicensed people buying, selling, using or possessing fireworks in Queensland had been in force since 1972.
“The same ban applies in all other States and territories except the Northern Territory,” he said.
“I acknowledge many Queenslanders would have fond memories of cracker night but modern fireworks and explosives were more powerful than in the past,” he said.
“The use of fireworks in Queensland is strictly regulated to ensure that only licensed and properly trained fireworks operators can handle them in a safe environment at public fireworks displays.
“Any suggestion that those safety precautions should be ignored once a year isn’t a sensible one.
“Anyone caught possessing or using illegal fireworks will be prosecuted and the penalties are severe – up to a $44,000 fine or six months in jail.”
He said anyone in possession of illegal fireworks should surrender them to an explosives inspector.
