Petition Online renewal portal for firearm licences and private security licences and registration

The petition of certain citizens of the State of Victoria draws to the attention of the Legislative Council the need to introduce and implement an online renewal system for firearm, private security individuals and business licences and registration to eliminate the reliance of the Licensing and Regulation Division (LRD) on paper-based renewals and payment notices.

Accessible through Service Victoria or Victoria Police eServices, this online portal should allow current licensees, not new applicants, to submit renewal applications and pay for renewals online, similar to New South Wales using Service NSW. 

It would enhance the transaction experience and reduce LRD’s reliance on paper-based renewals by setting up automatic emailing of renewal invoices that would give applicants a number to enter on the portal to pay. This in turn would eliminate the need for mailed payment notices. It would also provide clear instructions of the renewal process as well as a more accessible system for those remotely working with no access to a bank or BPAY. This would give more options then the current two methods. You would be able to fill in the probity questions and upload any supporting evidence required in the form, as per the usual probity process. LRD would then be able to manually approve the application and email a photo notice, simile to NSW, once probity has been completed and payment has been done.

The portal would provide more flexibility and easier access to LRD for licence holders and provide an easier workload on LRD staff, who have been working tirelessly since 2020 to try and clear the backlog of paper-based new and renewal applications. LRD staff could then better focus their resources to compliance enforcement and quicker processing. It would also save on printing costs and mailing of such documents.

The petitioners therefore request that the Legislative Council call on the Government to introduce and implement an online renewal portal for firearms licences and private security licences and renewals that would replace the current paper-based payment and mailed application renewal process.