Interviewer: The shocking murders of a mother and daughter in the Perth suburb of Floreat have sent shockwaves across the nation and sparked a fresh push for tougher gun laws in WA. For more on this, Federal MP for Curtin Kate Chaney joins us. Kate, good morning, and thanks for coming on the program.

Kate Chaney: It's okay. This is your community in Perth. You described yourself on the weekend as being exhausted from these conversations and utterly furious. How are you feeling today?

Kate Chaney: Well, I think there is a huge amount of sadness in my community about these women and their loss, and that's really the main thing the community is talking about at the moment. But it has also moved on to how this could have happened in our community and how we prevent this from happening in the future. I think there's a real desire to see change when it comes to both the use of guns and domestic violence.

Interviewer: Have you spoken to the community? Have you spoken to family members at all?

Kate Chaney: I've spoken to friends. Obviously, the family is very distressed at the moment. But I've spoken to friends of the deceased, and they are very, very upset by what has happened.

Interviewer: Were you shocked to learn that the shooter had 13 guns?

Kate Chaney: It really makes no sense to me. I can't see any reason to have 13 firearms in the suburbs of Perth, and I think people are very surprised to hear that it's possible. There’s no justification for it, so that was a shocking element. Obviously, it only takes one gun to shoot someone, but the volume of firearms certainly seemed to be a red flag.

Interviewer: The WA government was already bringing in tougher gun laws, and Premier Roger Cook suggested that this might now require more updating of that legislation. What did you think of the initial laws being brought in?

Kate Chaney: I think these reforms are definitely a step in the right direction, and I think there will be strong community support for them. There is a balance with individual rights, but having greater checks in place to ensure we’re not putting guns into the hands of potentially dangerous people is something the community can get behind. We may need some opportunity to challenge, but if we have processes in place that mean challenges only happen in valid circumstances, it will increase trust in the system and the sense of safety.

Interviewer: Does this need to have a national approach?

Kate Chaney: Like so many things, it is really important that the federal government and state governments work together. Gun laws vary from state to state. Broadly, on the domestic violence issue, I think there are lots of opportunities for state and federal cooperation to look at justice reform, frontline service provision, risk assessment, and how we collect data across boundaries. Also, cultural change is needed to address the fact that some men still see violence as an answer.

Interviewer: Today, the federal government is going to announce its expert panel to engage in this issue, which is likely to bring about new measures. On top of the $3.4 billion announced to tackle this, is it enough? Are we doing enough as a nation right now?

Kate Chaney: The point of the expert panel is to answer that question. It does feel like there is a strong appetite across the country to make keeping women safe a priority. I hope further action will come out of this, and I’ll be driving to see improvements in things like justice reform. Many women I’ve spoken to have said there is no point getting a VRO because if it’s breached, nothing happens. These are the sorts of issues I hope the expert panel will look at and make recommendations on.

Interviewer: Kate, what’s driving you on this?

Kate Chaney: Like many people, I know individuals who have been affected by this, in my community and my family. As a woman today, it comes down to a sense that we shouldn’t have to fight so hard to feel safe in our homes, workplaces, and the community. There is a strong sense among my crossbench colleagues that we can speak up, we have a voice in Parliament now, and I want to see the government responding and listening to the fact that half the people in the country often don’t feel safe.

Interviewer: Independent MP for Curtin, Kate Chaney, thanks for your time this morning.