The Australian federal police is refusing to release its advice on the classification of lever-action shotguns given to the justice minister in a meeting earlier this year.
The AFP commissioner, Andrew Colvin, met the justice minister, Michael Keenan, in February 2016 to discuss the importation and classification of lever-action shotguns.
The federal government has imposed a temporary ban on lever-action shotgun importations, prompted by particular concerns over the Adler A110, until the state and territories reach an agreement on whether to reclassify the weapons to restrict their access.
State and territory leaders are set to meet again on Friday to discuss a broader review of the National Firearms Agreement that was established by former the prime minister John Howard following the Port Arthur massacre.
But some gun lobby groups and the New South Wales police minister, Troy Grant, have pushed back on reclassifying the weapons to a more heavily restricted category.
State and commonwealth police forces were all consulted prior to the federal government’s decision to impose the ban, although the decision to reclassify is a matter for the states and territories. It was previously reported that NSW police formally recommended the NSW government reclassify weapons to the most stringent category D.
But the AFP declined a freedom of information request from Guardian Australia for records of advice they provided to Keenan and the attorney general, George Brandis, on the grounds it was an “internal working document”.
“Provision of these folios would disclose matter in the nature of consultation and deliberation that has taken place for the purposes of the deliberative processes involving operations functions of the Australian federal police,” the AFP freedom of information officer wrote.
“Further, the document records advice, recommendations and opinion in material prepared by the AFP during which time members were required to communicate directly freely and confidentially on issues which are considered to be sensitive.”
Although it is unclear who was involved in the briefing, part of the document shows it was actioned by the AFP’s acting chief forensic scientist, Sarah Benson.
The government’s review of the national firearms agreement has been the subject of considerable debate and some criticism.
The chair of Gun Control Australia, Sam Lee, urged the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, not to water down gun laws ahead of the firearm meeting on Friday.
“The prime minister is set to water down John Howard’s gun laws by allowing general access to a six-shot rapid-style Adler A110 shotgun,” she said. “The Port Arthur agreement restricted access to all rapid-style firearms because these guns are commonly used in massacres.”
A group of 30 domestic violence groups, gun control advocates, politicians and prominent Australians have criticised Keenan for holding “one-sided” meetings in 2015 with the firearms lobby on changes to Australia’s gun laws.
The group have called for greater consultation with the government before any changes were made to firearms laws.
