The Energon Pub

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:15 pm**

For those who may have missed all the news a few months ago when Masterpiece Megatron was released, a number of Australian collectors found their MP Megatron's seized by Australian Customs.

They had decided that MP Megatron was to be classified as a "replica firearm" and could only be imported if you had appropriate licenses and what not.

Not all Megatron's were seized and some made it through, but a number of them were which spurred Australian Collector Tiby (a practicing Lawyer) into action to help his fellow collectors get their hands on Megatron without too much hassle.

The result hasn't been highly overwhelming but the Government and Customs have made regulations for collectors to import and own Megatron legally.

The full story

Tiby wrote:Announcement on 25 September 2007 by Police Minister David Campbell. Click here

I am setting up a collector's club which will be open for collectors to join, and thereby fulfil one of the requirements for owning Masterpiece Megatron. To quote the Minister, the requirements are as follows:

· Undergoing a criminal and probity check;

· Providing a genuine reason for ownership of the toy;

· Providing proof of membership to a collector’s club; and

· Abiding by safe storage, surrender and disposal requirements.

The criminal and probity check is a Firearms Registry requirement, and usually done by local police.

A genuine reason for ownership of the toy is that a person is a collector of Transformers.

Proof of membership of a collector's club will be part of what I will provide in the club.

Safe storage includes a locked cabinet. I recommend the following:

Display and Rack Systems

I will update this site as the club progresses with more details on how to join.

Thanks for your support!

The collector's club he's setting will no doubt be Australian only, however if you're Australian and already a member of the international club that should cover you.

Either way, plenty of hoops to jump through just to own a toy.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:21 pm**

Genuine reason for owning a toy? If I were an Aussie, I'd almost be tempted to say "BECAUSE I'M A PEDOPHILE".

And lol, a locked cabinet for a freakin toy? I'm speechless.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:00 pm**

That's why on census forms or loan applications I allways check the "Native American" box. I'm not a member of a tribe, but I was born here, thus I'm "Native".

Some laws are just ignorant. Turn that politically correct junk around on them. Everyone in Australia should get a MP Megatron, and a reissue, too.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:38 pm**

Thanks for the info and links Burn.

I'll frontpage this, so hopefully Aussie Members and guests who want/have MP Megatron have an easier time dealing with customs.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:47 pm**

You know I read this, but couldn't believe it!

It struck me as so bizzar that I even dropped my a thread of my own about it cause I was so curious(it was before it became news).

http://www.seibertron.com/forums/viewto ... id=#362976

Hell, this is one of the more rediculious things I've ever heard. Still as I've said in that thread, if you have a hard time getting this, I could maybe help you out as I have a conection who's good at shipping.

It's a passtime, ask anyone from Jersey who had good fireworks all summer long. Illegal in Jersey, legal in Pennsy, yet odly you keed a out of state ID to get the good stuff there as it's illegal to sell to residents :???:

I monopolized on this when my PA friends would take me to the fireworks store everytime I came to visit. And after my good friend Kenny got deported unfairly, we just figured why not go global?

Talk to your boy if you need to...

Stupid laws need to be subverted to make them laws no more. I say this as an advocate of US gun control.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:47 pm**

UK TF-collecters might want to check they're going to be OK buying Megs after the end of this month. A piece of legislation called the Violent Crime Reduction Act will make it pretty much illegal to buy or import replica guns. Still, at least it'll stop all those shootings that we get. :-?

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:49 pm**

Meanwhile the guys who want to get real guns meet in the truck behind the Arby's downtown in the middle of the night and no one is the wiser.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:54 pm**

Some Aussie government officials have their pretty pink panties in a wad over nothing...

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:10 pm**

Meanwhile, I just bought an encore megatron - a realistically sized handgun - in Australia, no questions asked. This is stupid beyond belief.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:10 pm**

1337W422102 wrote:Meanwhile the guys who want to get real guns meet in the truck behind the Arby's downtown in the middle of the night and no one is the wiser.

Well what do you expect, law enforcement to risk there asses chasing real crime.

Not to say all folks in that field are cowardly, but I'm from a high crime area, and I've seen enough people turn enough heads where that stament becomes a sad truth.

Hell, just the otherday, and this is for real, I saw a man crying at the counter of my liquor store. I figured him homeless, as thats normaly the case. But I saw a playback of the stoeres after hour security camera. It showed a large group of kids beating on a single kid. The man looked up, told me it was his son.

The part that got him most as the tape was replayed on aloop was the North Arlington cop car that decided to keep driving by.

So I agree with you, F the real crimes, lets stop these dam unrealistic gun toys!

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:12 pm**

Does this mean that Police Minister David Campbell belongs to a Transformers Club now?

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:38 pm**

Wow. Another reason to not live in Au. At least here in the US we can get it if they plug the tip with a removeable orange plug.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:46 pm**

DorkimusPrime wrote:Some Aussie government officials have their pretty pink panties in a wad over nothing...

Not true.

A number of years ago a little event occurred called the "Port Arthur Massacre". One man walked into a restaurant and let loose with his guns, as far as I know it's still the record.

Following that there was a massive crackdown on guns in Australia. Automatic and semi-automatic were banned completely. The Government also funded a buy-back scheme where owners turned in theirs guns and got paid for them, that stockpile was subsequently destroyed.

Then they tightened licensing laws. On top of that they also tightened laws regarding "replica firearms".

The original G1 Megatron was in fact banned in certain States of Australia back in the 80's when he was used in an armed hold-up.

So that's why Megatron has now been classed as a replica firearm. Little bit over-sized? Yes. But how many people working a convenience store will notice that when there's some masked person waving a gun at their face?

Yeah, it is a toy, but unfortunately he (both MP and G1) can be considered replica firearms. I'd much rather these rules stay in place than have them softened.

So yeah, you may think it's a stupid rule, but you don't realise what lead to these rules being introduced in the first place, and i'm glad the rules were changed to prevent something like that.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:49 pm**

Has there ever been a report of this toy being used in a crime Ever anywhere? Guess so :-(

Burn said:The original G1 Megatron was in fact banned in certain States of Australia back in the 80's when he was used in an armed hold-up

I am all for gun control to dam many of them and they hurt :sad:

.
The goverment does not have the sense god gave a green apple and no matter what we still do it there way.
Silly humans will you never learn.

Clusterprime

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:51 pm**

Cant believe Port Arthur was 11 years ago...

What really gets me riled up is that they are trying to stop as many MP Megatron's entering the country, yet doing absolutely nothing about the Encore Megatron's, or any of the hundreds of correct scale "toy" guns you can get in $2 shops.

It reeks of a money making exercise.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:56 pm**

Loki41872 wrote:That's why on census forms or loan applications I allways check the "Native American" box. I'm not a member of a tribe, but I was born here, thus I'm "Native".

While funny as hell you do raise a valid point

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:58 pm**

i_amtrunks wrote:It's serious Leige.

And each State has slightly different rules, laws, by-laws and loopholes. For Example people from New South Wales (where I come from) had alot of problems with importing MP05 Megatron, but as yet no complaints about Encore Megatron.
Victoria and South Australia had some issues but many fans reported getting their figures problem free.

Go figure.

See this is why I live with an outlaw mentality. I'm not looking to do wrong to anybody unless they do it to me first.

But on that same note, while there are many rules set up to provide safety and well being to general populace. Some are just irrational when their inital intent is misconstrued in examples such as this.

Thats why I say, subvert these laws, show the folly of a good idea gone bad, and get that idea back on the path it was origionaly ment for.

Civilization in general will be better off for it.

Examples of this are The Civil War, WWII, Tenimen Square, That ime Ernie and I walked out of class cause teacher called him a name that should just die out, and so on and so on....

Failure to challange a system only leads to once noble ideas turn to events like this.

Orange plugs are one thing, but this is something that should be shown to any system to show it's ignorance in aplied policy.

I live half a world away, but show me a petition, and I'll sign it!

Let this statment be my adendem.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:07 pm**

i_amtrunks wrote:Cant believe Port Arthur was 11 years ago...

What really gets me riled up is that they are trying to stop as many MP Megatron's entering the country, yet doing absolutely nothing about the Encore Megatron's, or any of the hundreds of correct scale "toy" guns you can get in $2 shops.

It reeks of a money making exercise.

It's a good example of officials setting their sight on something without taking in the whole matter.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:07 pm**

So you want to jump up and down to repeal laws set up to protect the general populace ... all because of a toy?

Yeah ... no thanks, i'll look at the bigger picture. Someone care to quote the figures from America when the gun laws were softened over there a few years back? ;;)

Of course the hypocritical thing is that while I support these gun laws, I do own a MP Megatron, a G1 Megatron, a G1 Megaplex and a G1 Browning but i'd much rather get the appropriate permits than fight a law that's prevented another Port Arthur.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:16 pm**

Burn wrote:For those who may have missed all the news a few months ago when Masterpiece Megatron was released, a number of Australian collectors found their MP Megatron's seized by Australian Customs.

They had decided that MP Megatron was to be classified as a "replica firearm" and could only be imported if you had appropriate licenses and what not.

Not all Megatron's were seized and some made it through, but a number of them were which spurred Australian Collector Tiby (a practicing Lawyer) into action to help his fellow collectors get their hands on Megatron without too much hassle.

The result hasn't been highly overwhelming but the Government and Customs have made regulations for collectors to import and own Megatron legally.

The full story

Tiby wrote:Announcement on 25 September 2007 by Police Minister David Campbell. Click here

I am setting up a collector's club which will be open for collectors to join, and thereby fulfil one of the requirements for owning Masterpiece Megatron. To quote the Minister, the requirements are as follows:

· Undergoing a criminal and probity check;

· Providing a genuine reason for ownership of the toy;

· Providing proof of membership to a collector’s club; and

· Abiding by safe storage, surrender and disposal requirements.

The criminal and probity check is a Firearms Registry requirement, and usually done by local police.

A genuine reason for ownership of the toy is that a person is a collector of Transformers.

Proof of membership of a collector's club will be part of what I will provide in the club.

Safe storage includes a locked cabinet. I recommend the following:

Display and Rack Systems

I will update this site as the club progresses with more details on how to join.

Thanks for your support!

The collector's club he's setting will no doubt be Australian only, however if you're Australian and already a member of the international club that should cover you.

Either way, plenty of hoops to jump through just to own a toy.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:16 pm**

those officials just want them for there own collection or sell them on ebay for 100% profit.
I wonder if the USA collectors has had any problem?

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:34 pm**

Burn wrote:So that's why Megatron has now been classed as a replica firearm. Little bit over-sized? Yes. But how many people working a convenience store will notice that when there's some masked person waving a gun at their face?

If I was being robbed, I'd rather the gun in front of me be a fake one than a real one. If the robber got shot because the police couldn't discern whether or not the gun was real, then that's what you get for trying to commit an armed robbery with a toy gun.

I can't believe I'd have to buy a locked gun rack for a figure that would be displayed in robot mode anyway. There's something destined for storage... Actually, I just checked the link, and the acrylic display case doesn't look bad. I kind of want one to display my figures. Probably why he chose to link to that, though. It's more of a cabinet than an actual gun rack.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:34 pm**

Burn wrote:So you want to jump up and down to repeal laws set up to protect the general populace ... all because of a toy?

Yeah ... no thanks, i'll look at the bigger picture. Someone care to quote the figures from America when the gun laws were softened over there a few years back?

Of course the hypocritical thing is that while I support these gun laws, I do own a MP Megatron, a G1 Megatron, a G1 Megaplex and a G1 Browning but i'd much rather get the appropriate permits than fight a law that's prevented another Port Arthur.

I'm not advocating repealing laws. I am stating that it is ironic that there are restrictions put into place for MP Megatron, and no restictions for the other G1 Megatron guns.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:37 pm**

Burn wrote:So you want to jump up and down to repeal laws set up to protect the general populace ... all because of a toy?

Yeah ... no thanks, i'll look at the bigger picture. Someone care to quote the figures from America when the gun laws were softened over there a few years back?

Of course the hypocritical thing is that while I support these gun laws, I do own a MP Megatron, a G1 Megatron, a G1 Megaplex and a G1 Browning but i'd much rather get the appropriate permits than fight a law that's prevented another Port Arthur.

NO NO NO NO NO, just make a point of showing how good ideas fail when aplied to something other than there initial intent.

I am an advocate of gun control, hell one day I'll send you some pics of the billboards where I live, you'll see how serious I am about it as it's no joke in The Bricks!

But even good laws, when set to impractical practices, can become bad.

I say get them back on track of their origional intent, and take their otherwise great intents off these farces.

When I say I subvert laws, I mean it, I do. I wouldn't sell a pack of cigarrets to a todler, but I'll gladly score a box of palmtrees for someone who knows about mortars and knows how to launch them.

And this is even less than that. This is a toy, not a drug or explosive. It can't hurt anything but ones own wallet.

A civil disobedience in ordering this item with a consequence being showing a goverment just how far off course the intents of it's have tread...

well, that might just be a fight worth taking up.

Whats the worst that will happen, you'll get an awesome(yet fragile) figure, and a system will look closer at the applications of it's directives.

Hell, thats good in my book.

And the reason that I mention the things I have in previous posts here, as well as run my own(granted now pointless)thread, is just to prove that I do stand by this type of idea, weither it be America, Australia, Taiwan, or where ever...

It's always better to show a misimplied laws folly, than let a system continue to make it perverse.

This is the main reason why I made it a point to order a clean figure from a semi-industrialized source. I didn't want to be a victim what I just expressed.

Posted: **Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:38 pm**

Burn wrote:
DorkimusPrime wrote:Some Aussie government officials have their pretty pink panties in a wad over nothing...

Not true.

A number of years ago a little event occurred called the "Port Arthur Massacre". One man walked into a restaurant and let loose with his guns, as far as I know it's still the record.

Following that there was a massive crackdown on guns in Australia. Automatic and semi-automatic were banned completely. The Government also funded a buy-back scheme where owners turned in theirs guns and got paid for them, that stockpile was subsequently destroyed.

Then they tightened licensing laws. On top of that they also tightened laws regarding "replica firearms".

The original G1 Megatron was in fact banned in certain States of Australia back in the 80's when he was used in an armed hold-up.

So that's why Megatron has now been classed as a replica firearm. Little bit over-sized? Yes. But how many people working a convenience store will notice that when there's some masked person waving a gun at their face?

Yeah, it is a toy, but unfortunately he (both MP and G1) can be considered replica firearms. I'd much rather these rules stay in place than have them softened.

So yeah, you may think it's a stupid rule, but you don't realise what lead to these rules being introduced in the first place, and i'm glad the rules were changed to prevent something like that.

whatever, you live in a country of 60+ million people. And you're talking about 2 or 3 incidencts in 20 years. the quality of life that comes with freedom from government overuling is well worth the minimal cost in lives. Especially when statistics(which are all lies in themselves) prove that that when one source of violence is suppressed another shows up to refill the resevoir. My point being is the people that committed those crimes would have done so whether or not they had to work to get weapons(fakes). It's a matter of desire, not availability. The rules were changed, and murderers now use knives. so what. there are still murderers and we're one step closer to 1984. Sorry to be harsh, but people like you elected george bush, and now the U.S is declining as a country. we had hit our high mark. And we have more violence and unrest than ever. I know this is about a toy, but you people piss me off. if i have gotten you wrong, i'm sorry.

The Energon Pub

Owning Megatron in Australia

Owning Megatron in Australia

Re: Owning Megatron in Australia