Mental health screening for WA gun owners after 20 shooting deaths last year

Western Australia will enact some of the toughest firearm laws in the country, with gun owners now facing mandatory and ongoing health checks.

The changes are part of an overhaul of the state's 50-year-old firearms legislation by the WA government described as an "Australia first" reform.

The government said 20 people were shot dead in the state last year and mental health issues were present in half of those incidents.

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During the past six months, 122 people were referred to WA police because someone was concerned about their fitness to hold a gun licence based on medical grounds.

Police were able to revoke 46 firearms licences on mental health grounds during that period.

Police Minister Paul Papalia said WA's outdated gun laws were being totally reworked to put community safety first.

"If 20 people were all gunned down in a public place, we would rightfully call it a massacre. The fact is, 20 Western Australians were killed by firearms last year," he said.

"Police believe mental health may have been a factor in almost 50 per cent of those deaths."

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Papalia said consultation had shown support for the reform from farmers, the medical community, and victims of firearms violence.

"This is an Australian first. We believe this and other initiatives we are working on will help save lives, make our community safer, and make the job safer for our police officers."

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