Taxpayers will suffer a double financial blow after the Federal Government yesterday refused to repay millions of dollars Victoria spent on buying back illegal weapons. Justice Minister Amanda Vanstone rejected Victoria's compensation claim because the Kennett Government changed national uniform gun laws agreed by police ministers after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. In 1996, taxpayers paid a 1.7 per cent Medicare levy — a one-off increase from 1.5 per cent — so... (GunPolicy.org)