Western Australia's government will rewrite outdated gun laws which allow people to hold firearm licences with virtually no training.
The number of licensed guns in WA has risen by 60 per cent across the past 13 years to more than 349,000, according to WA Police.
Over the same period, the number of people holding gun licenses remained steady at around 89,000.
WA's Firearms Act dates back to 1974 and predates the national firearms agreement implemented following the Port Arthur massacre.
Premier Mark McGowan says the laws need to be overhauled to protect the safety of the community.
"We'll consult broadly across the community," he told reporters on Tuesday.
"We want to make sure that very responsible and safe gun ownership is not affected but we enhance community safety across the state, prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands and make sure that they are stored in a safe, secure way."
Other changes being considered include allowing police to revoke gun licences for people convicted of serious family violence offences.
Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said it was currently easier to get a firearm licence than it was for boat owners to get a skipper's ticket.
"Many people, I know, have been able to lawfully license a weapon and never had a day or an hour's training. That I think needs to change," he said.
Among the guns registered in WA are about a dozen military-grade sniper rifles, with Mr Dawson saying police had been unable to have the licences revoked.
"I don't consider that that type of weapon should be available for civilian and community use," he said.
Police Minister Paul Papalia said the revamp would be a long process including a month of public submissions, meetings across the state and a yearlong drafting process.
He hoped the new laws would be introduced by September 2023.
WA Liberals leader David Honey suggested the government was attempting to distract voters from an increase in violent crime in the community.
"It seems to me the issue the government needs to deal with is how are bikies and other criminals getting those weapons," he said.
