I was interested in this and did a little searching. I couldn't find anywhere that listed the information as a hoax. I did find the following report: <A HREF="http://www.gunsandcrime.org/auresult.html">Results of the New Australian Gun Laws (GunsAndCrime.org)</A> <A HREF="http://www.gunsandcrime.org/auresult.html"> http://www.gunsandcrime.org/auresult.html</A> I hope this helps. Linda Arthur Tejera In a message dated 12/13/2003 9:21:50 AM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > Subject: Australia > > Here's a thought to warm some of your hearts... > > From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia > > Hi Yanks, > I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under. It has > now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to > surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a > program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars. > > The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 > percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed > robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)! In the state of Victoria > alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. (Note that while the > law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not! and criminals > still possess their guns!) > > While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed > robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 > months, since the criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed. > There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the > elderly. > > Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has > decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in > successfully ridding Australian society of guns." You won't see this on the > American evening news or hear your governor or members of the state Assembly > disseminating this information. > > The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens > save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the > law-abiding citizens. > > Take note Americans, before it's to late! > > FORWARD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST. > DON'T BE A MEMBER OF THE SILENT MAJORITY. > BE OF THE VOCAL MINORITY WHO WON'T LET THIS HAPPEN IN THE U.S.A. > > > ______________________________ > >