Gun News Australia: the latest news for Aussie shooters

Victoria’s Allan Government set to rip millions out of shooting facilities

WE DISCUSS the reneging of a commitment by Victoria’s Allan Government to build a badly needed shooting facility after pulling out of the 2026 Commonwealth Games – while proceeding with other sporting facilities.  
The government says it has no money.  However, this is a facility that had already been budgeted for, and in any case the cost is immaterial in the state’s annual spend of approximately $100b per annum.   
To put that in perspective, that’s like asking someone who earns $120k a year to budget for $2.40.
It’s not about money: it’s about political convenience.
MIKE JARRAD is from Target Rifle Victoria, which is the primary smallbore and air rifle shooting organisation in Victoria. 
He explains how he, and Shooting Australia, fought to have shooting stay on the Commonwealth Games agenda after the sport was dumped for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022.
This led to TRV being at the forefront of designing the air gun range facility which could be relocated later on.
WHEN THE GAMES WERE CANCELLED by previous Victorian Premier, Dan Andrews, in 2023, the government made a clear commitment that the promised facilities would still be built.
It’s an announcement that remains on the website of the current Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan.
THE GOVERNMENT’S POOR UNDERSTANDING of the shooting sports led it to consult the wrong people – which led to the facility being axed. 
Instead, TRV is now lobbying to keep the range – and is intent on keeping the pressure up until at least the next Victorian State Election in 2026.
They have raised their concerns with Brad Battin (Liberal Party leader), Sam Groth (Liberal Party sports spokesperson), Steve Dimopolous (Labor’s sports minister), Jeff Bourman (SFFP - and undoubtedly the laziest politician we’ve come across), John Lister (Labor). Trung Luu (Liberal Party), Sen Anne Ruston (Federal – Liberal), Sen Bridget McKenzie (Federal – National Party), Dan Repacholi (Federal – Labor and champion pistol shooter), Jacinta Allan (Labor Vic Premier) and Peter Dutton (Federal – Liberal opposition leader).
TRV has historically been apolitical.  As a result, it has been pushed around for the past 100 years, with local and state governments grabbing land for other purposes and never fought back. 
This includes a club that specifically catered solely for female shooters that was the first of its type in the world, until closed down by the Liberal Hamer Government in 1975.
THIS IS A “LINE IN THE SAND” issue for TRV, where it now feels it has been forced to push the matter right through to the next state election.
VICTORIA seriously lacks decent shooting facilities of international level. NSW and Qld each have (and will have) proper international facilities, yet Victoria, which has the largest population of ISSF smallbore / air rifle shooters in the nation, has nothing as a result of these land grabs.
POLITICS RELOADED is of the view that the Allan Government must commit to not only build an international quality air range, but a FULL ISSF FACILITY that covers all pistol, rifle and shotgun disciplines under the ISSF banner.
We’re not interested in commitment to look at it or to ‘consider it’, but to have signed contracts in place by this time next year.
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TAKE IT OUT ON LABOR: How WA shooters can send a key message

BEING ONE ISSUE (PRO-GUN) VOTERS, we're always looking at how elections affect shooters. 
Whether you vote this way in the federal election, or differently is, of course, entirely up to you. That's because bad gun laws and bad policy  - affects shooters in different ways.
In some cases, it may be not much at all. For other shooters, these matters affect them very much. Some shooters stand to lose a lot - and in some cases, they stand to lose their entire pastime or business.
Even if you aren't affected now, think about the long term consequences of letting    bad gun laws and policy take a hold - and why it's important to deal with it now.
WE TAKE YOU THROUGH our voting recommendations for this week’s Federal Election. 
We look at some specific opportunities in some states, and why it’s worth searching out the pro-gun parties on the ballot forms.
This is also an opportunity for shooters in WA, to TAKE THEIR ANGER on Labor’s atrocious new gun laws on the federal arm of their party.
DON’T BUY the “it’s a state issue” line from Federal Labor. Make your voice heard by sending Labor – state or federal – the message that they’ve created a mess that will cost them votes.
IF YOU want to vote early, you find out where at this link: https://aec.gov.au/Voting/ways_to_vote/
Oh, and don’t rush your vote. Take a few minutes to read the forms carefully before you fill them in.  It’s easy to do – and could make a big difference.
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FEDERAL ELECTION: Here’s why SFFP is a good option for shooters in Tasmania

WE LOOK at why SFFP is the best option for shooters in Tasmania in the upcoming Federal Election.
SFFP’S PHIL BIGG lays out why he’s standing up for shooters, fueled party by hope for shooters but also frustration at the absence of representation for the shooting sports.
He also explains why he’s very concerned about the tightening grip that banks and insurance companies are applying to anyone involved in the shooting industry – and his aim to have them answer for their actions if successful in getting elected to the Senate.
Phil is also keen to call for a Royal Commission into Port Arthur.  This has nothing to do with conspiracy theories, but everything to do with the lack of any accountability over the death of 35 people in Australia’s largest massacre. 
YOU can support SFFP Tasmania by telling your shooting mates to look for the SFFP in the seat of Lyons and in the Senate in Tasmania. 
Early voting starts right after Easter – so make sure you tell your mates who to vote for!
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Authorised N Jenkins Melbourne

GUN SHOWS !! We look at the Maryborough Arms Fair coming up on April 26 & 27. And more!

WE SPEAK with Carly and Glenn from Gun Traders Australia, about the upcoming Maryborough (Qld) Arms & Collectables Fair on April 26 and 27.
We talk about how gun related businesses everywhere can find and get involved in gun shows in their area – from booking a table to packing up after a long but enjoyable weekend.
WE also cover how shooters can find gun shows – and key tips to grabbing bargains!
GTA now has a page that is the first known list of all gun shows being held in Australia – which has prompted one WA shooter to tour the country!
The Maryborough show will cover everything you hoped for.  You’ll see antiques, hunting - target shooting – sporting equipment, calibers that are hard to get, army disposal equipment & old military uniforms, centuries old swords, scopes and shooting cleaning products. Plus, you’ll see a rare Ruger from the observers of Japan which is only one of four left in the world!
PLUS we have a comprehensive look at who will be there – so go along to the show, have a chat with GTA, and grab some great deals.
Find out more about the show at: maryboroughpark.ourfrasercoast.com.au/events/event/1583/maryborough-arms-collectables-fair  and   https://www.queenslandarmsfair.com/
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WA 5 GUN LIMIT LEGAL ACTION STARTS: Here’s how you can follow it

A NEW LEGAL ACTION has just been launched in the WA State Administrative Tribunal against WA’s 5-gun limit.
The suit, which is based on the dubious actions of WA Police in the lead up to the new laws which came into effect on March 31, will argue that their actions were improper and that the State owes the applicant, Jon Laird, compensation.
This is the first legal action launched against the new gun laws – and it’s been funded so far by Politics Reloaded.
To support the case, we’re looking to engage an experienced barrister, and have set up a fundraiser dedicated for that purpose.
To donate to this case, simply go to https://tinyurl.com/5limitcase
IN THIS EPISODE, Jon talks about what led to the action, and his concerns about the inefficiency of the WA firearms registry.
He also talks about the limits on property letters, the distress that the new laws are causing, and the high costs that WA shooters are paying, especially when compared to shooters in other states.
We also talk about how you can follow the case, which is through being a member of Politics Reloaded or as a member of our YouTube channel.
PLUS, we talk about how the Federal Election can be used to help WA shooters.
 
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WA LEGAL ACTION WINS: Plus how shooters can use the upcoming Federal Election

PRO-GUN LEGAL ACTIONS in WA are nothing new.  So why has the large fundraiser to stop the state’s gun laws failed to deliver?
After weeks of stratospheric headlines and bullish promises - such as the release of legal advice and commencement of legal proceedings - we look at why none of this has occurred.   
They were specific promises with specific timeframes which appear not to have been met.
SO, to those many people who donated to the cause on the promises, you need to start asking the hard questions – before your money disappears.  
In the meantime, tens of thousands of shooters are caught up in the middle, facing new laws that come into effect on March 31, making them sitting ducks for the less scrupulous.PLUS we look at how WA shooters affected by the new laws can use the upcoming FEDERAL ELECTION to put pressure on WA Labor to find an exit strategy on gun laws.
Yes, guns are a state issue – but we reckon it’s worth giving Federal Labor a hard time, costing them votes in key seats.
WHO THE HELL IS CARLY?  We respond to an unwarranted and ill-informed attack by a Victorian who is playing the gender card in her attack on what shooting organisations have done for shooters.
Our response is a reminder that PR and SUA held the recent gun rally – and worked with others to hold the National Gun Conference – things which she failed to mention.
…AND what a successful pro-gun umbrella group looks like.
 
VOTING at the Federal Election?  Find out what your electorate is from the Australian Electoral Commission’s site at:  electorate.aec.gov.au
 
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WA ELECTION RESULT: The pro-gun rallies of yesteryear and Vic Duck Season OPENS!

WE LOOK AT this year’s Victorian duck season which is now underway – including the move to the reason for a Wednesday opening.
You can see our interview with Danny Ryan from the Victorian Duck Hunting Season at: https://youtu.be/1EAyxV2rXmo
THE WA ELECTION results are firming up, and we look at what it means – including the welcome election of a vocal pro-gun politician from the Liberal Party.   Plus how the SFFP blew their chances of getting a decent result.
GUN RALLIES from yesteryear really set the benchmark of what is possible, as shooting organisations around Australia struggle to deal with the surge of anti-gun laws peppering the landscape.
We look at the mood behind the 1988 and 1996 rallies, and the ‘no compromise’ attitude which used to prevail.  It’s definitely something that we need back, and why Politics Reloaded will be proposing be tabled at this year’s National Gun Conference.
PLUS we give a pat on the back to WA’s Louise Kingston MLC who was vocal at the WA Gun Rally and gave the state's shooters support that others wouldn't.
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WA LEGAL ACTION: Fact or fiction?

A PROMISE to fund legal action for shooters in Western Australia on the eve of having their guns taken off them, has raised concerns that shooters may not properly understand what is being offered.
A GoFundMe campaign, which has raised over $120,000, has been promoted as supporting “legal action”. 
Legal action means lawsuits – as in suing the state government over the new gun laws.
However, the fund won’t be doing that. Instead, it will provide shooters with “legal advice” on how they can fight the laws on their own. 
In other words, shooters seem to have been handing money hand-over-fist, possibly in the belief that there is a court case has been filed – which it has not.
TO BE CLEAR: “LEGAL ACTION” and “LEGAL ADVICE” are two very different things.
LEGAL ACTION INVOLVES COURT CASES.  LEGAL ADVICE DOES NOT.
Getting the messaging on this wrong can have serious consequences for shooters who are facing serious losses and may be confused about what these terms mean.
We understand some shooters are putting firearms in storage in the belief that there is a legal challenge that will help them before the deadline of 31 March. However, that does not seem likely to occur. This means shooters who rely on this could face serious legal problems if they don’t comply with the law on that basis.
We are not accusing anyone of making misrepresentations – but we do hope that shooters who are donating understand exactly what they are donating money to.  A letter.
IF YOU MADE a donation thinking that the fundraiser was for legal action, you might want to consider asking the organiser for a refund.
If you need legal assistance in relation to your situation concerning your firearms or licence, we recommend you seek independent legal advice.
 
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VICTORIAN DUCK SEASON: VDHA with the details of this year’s season – starting March 19

STARTING MARCH 19, Victorian duck hunters can once again head out into the wetlands in what is bound to be a great season, thanks to the Victorian Duck Hunting Association.
We cover everything you need to know about the season, including the politics around the announcement. 
IMPORTANTLY the VDHA’s Danny Ryan, covers how the new duck hunting laws will affect what you need to do when you renew your game hunting licence. 
The new laws came out of the  Inquiry into Victoria's recreational native bird hunting arrangements steered led by Labor. One outcome is the ban on lead shot. Another is the new training modules that anyone who holds a licence will need to undertake when they renew their licence. 
So, if you hold a game hunting licence, that means you.
The good news is we’ve got a full-length season with a nine-bag limit.   We also cover the starting times for both shooters and the antis.
VDHA’S work included holding information nights which it will continue to hold for hunters across Victoria. 
WE LOOK AT THE politics around the announcement - and what every shooter needs to do, which is to let their local MP know that they support hunting.
Even if they are anti-hunting, making your views known is important to make sure that they don’t blindly vote with the sentiment of the anti-hunting brigade.
For more information on the season, including closures, go to the Game Management Authority’s website at: gma.vic.gov.au
TO JOIN THE VDHA, simply go to vicduckhunters.com.au/membership. For $80 a year, you’ll get public liability insurance and access to heap of other benefits such as 10% discounts and deals from everything from kebabs to tyres.
Families, pensioners and others can join for even less!
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MEET THE 'OLD SSAA’: How things have changed.

** REMINDER – WA STATE ELECTION IS ON THIS SATURDAY, 8 MARCH **
JEFF POW’s father, Graham Pow, was a cofounder of the SSAA WA and its founding president.
He was one of a band of shooters who set the organisation up in the early 1970s when WA Police moved to impose impractical regulations - without consultation.
In a sense of déjà vu, Jeff turned up to the recent gun rally to provide support against WA’s new gun laws.  It was a fight ‘the old SSAA’ would have taken head on.
JEFF’S FATHER, Graham, also helped set up the Pinjar shooting complex, helped found the West Coast Pistol and Revolver Club and was active in the Jarrahdale SSAA.
His love for his sport wasn’t just shooting: Graham loved his old pistols, including his 445 Webley Revolver, and put his skills as an incredible woodworker and metal worker to good use.
JEFF continues to carry his father’s flag, citing that there ‘is no fire’ under the ‘new SSAA’ to support what WA shooters are facing now.
He talks about the need for the shooting community to come together and not be caught out ‘flat footed’. 
Jeff also talks about WA Police’s ‘unhealthy and provocative approach’ by sending SMSs to shooters – and encourages members of WA Police to not allow themselves to be used as political pawns.
VOTING THIS WEEK?
IF YOU’RE A SHOOTER voting in this week’s WA State Election, you need to watch this to find out who to vote for. 
We explain what ballot papers you’ll get, and what you need to know to vote against the new gun laws. 
The easy way to fill in the large ballot paper (for the upper house / Legislative Council) “above the line” is to Vote 1 for the Nationals or Liberals and then number the other parties in your preferred order.  
Or vote “below the line” with at least 20 boxes for your vote to be valid.  We recommend you:
Vote 1 for Louise Kingston (Group M);
Vote 2 for Ryan Burns (Libertarian Party);
Vote 3 for Steve Thomas (Liberal Party);
Vote 4 for Nick Goiran (Liberal Party);
Vote 5 for The Nationals etc … until you’ve numbered at least 20 boxes.
IF YOU’RE IN the lower house seat of Albany, vote for Tom Brough (Liberal Party), or if you’re in Darling Range, back Morgan Byas (National Party).
Don’t rush your vote: take just a couple of minutes to make sure you back the right candidates and parties.
WHATEVER you do, don’t vote Labor.  A vote for Labor is a vote to take your guns away from you.
 
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