Senator Ludwig: The Minister for Home Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question. The number of commercially imported*# firearms for years 2001 – 2010 is as follows: Year Handgun LongArm ## TOTAL 2001 11,578 19,631 31,209 2002 9,761 30,368 40,129 2003 12,328 28,892 41,220 2004 7,765 37,400 45,165 2005 7,544 43,277 50,821 2006 7,417 51,377 58,794 2007 7,615 60,364 67,979 2008 6,257 67,302 73,559 2009 7,674 60,253 67,927 2010 13,405 71,064 84,469 * Commercial firearms are goods that have been imported into Australia in accordance with Customs import declaration requirements, even if by a private user. # Figures provided include air firearms as well as conventional firearms. ## Long arms include rifles, shotguns, military, antique firearms and uncategorised air-firearms; and for 2003 onwards, paintball markers. It should be noted that Customs and Border Protection's data collection and recording arrangements were amended in 2004. Accordingly, data prior to 2004 is not directly comparable with current statistics.