Look around you. Wherever you go, you can see governments attacking our sport. It’s a national problem – so we’re going to start that conversation.
The frog
IF YOU DON’T KNOW what “a frog in boiling water” means, then it’s got nothing to do with cooking.
It’s a metaphor that if you place a frog in a pot of boiling water, it’ll jump out to safety.
Put the frog in a pot of cold water, slowly turn up the heat and it’ll cook to death. It won’t realise what’s happening until it’s too late.
It won’t come to you as news, but that’s what’s been happening to shooting – but at least we’re trying to climb out of the pot.
Ducks, targets … and frogs
The futures of duck hunting, target shooting, gun collecting, – and even our ability to participate in them, continue to be debated and opposed. All of this without proper consultation.
Our critics have been after our rifles, pistols and shotguns for years. They call us “gun nuts”, say our “guns kill people” and always call for more restrictions.
The frog metaphor is in play here.
A quick overview
ALMOST every state or territory has something going on. Here are some examples:
- Rewrite of the WA laws
- Victoria’s policy of banning guns on opportunistic misuse
- Banning of gel blasters in SA
- Registry overreach in NSW
- NT’s decision to ban ammo sales to interstate licence holders
- The targetting of DVA card holders in Queensland and
- The attack on antiques in Tasmania
In other words, we’re seeing something happen just about everywhere.
The states are circling around us
The only jurisdiction we haven’t mentioned here is the ACT (plus the feds aren’t helping).
It’s also not hard to see from the history of ‘gun control’ in Australia, that its only a matter of time before we face a new coordinated attack on us.
What else could happen?
FIRST, let’s just think about what could happen if we don’t pay attention.
The National Firearms Agreement is getting close to 30 years old – which means it’ll become a target for a rewrite in the next couple of years.
What we definitely do not want is for the NFA to follow Western Australia – but that’s what WA has said it wants.
Have a look at the objectives of the current rewrite of gun laws in WA, which states:
A bit more about WA …
In fact, remember Papalia’s quip that shooters should “get another hobby”? That’s what Papalia wants the other states to follow.
The WA laws will restrict the number of firearms we have, require mental health checks, allow politicians to change firearm categories at a stroke of a pen and even restrict what targets you can shoot at.
That means you can kiss the end-of-year Christmas shoot involving having a bit of fun by sticking Cheezels or Tic Tacs to the 20m targets goodbye.
The good news is that change is always possible – but it’s up to us to make it happen. Even if that means backing the right cause that can take the fight up to politicians.
Our problems aren’t local: they’re national
After working on this for several years and ‘connecting the dots’, it’s clear to us that our problems are fixable.
We’ve got plenty of shooters and shooting organisations in Australia, but no-one is leading the pack. That’s because problems are almost as complex as the structure of shooting here – yet our problems and enemies are common.
In our view, fixing our problems start with the politicians we have.
In addition to making laws, it is their statements that get reflected through the media which affect what the general public says and thinks about us – so our primary focus is on our politicians.
That’s why we think the ‘narrative’ around shooting needs to swing around from “guns and crime” to “guns and sport”.
It’s why we’re focussed on helping shooters vote the right way at elections and why it’s so important that shooters go to see their local MP – whether they are Labor or Liberal, Nationals or independent.
It’s also why we’re running the National Gun Conference on August 3rd. This will be the first ever attempt to bring the leaders of the shooting industry together to get to the bottom of what our problems are – and what the solutions might look like.
Meanwhile…
Addressing our problems will require organisations, businesses and gun clubs to join a conversation with others they may not now.
It’ll be difficult for some to do, but the history of our fights in Australia shows that no one organisation can take the challenge on by itself and win.
However, we’re confident that we can at least start that broader conversation – with the conference in August.
In the meantime, we’re going to continue with the things you keep telling us you want us to do. They include taking legal actions, writing the right type of articles, and putting in Freedom-Of-Information requests to help us fight against how governments are treating us.
What you can do – Now!
TELL your mates! See your local MP. Tell your MP that you care about the future of the shooting sports and political parties need to change their approach towards the shooting sports.
If you don’t do this, then your local MP will not know you are there and what matters to you.
If you don’t have time to do any of these, then at least get behind PR – and we’ll do that work for you. Click here to join us.
It will take years to turn our fortunes around, but every year that we spend on this journey brings us closer to that goal.
Why not put this on your club’s noticeboard?
I agree with every thing you say but we as shooters/hunters are a minority. We really (in my opinion) need to reach out to the other groups that enjoy outdoor recreations. 4wd enthusiasts, hikers, motorbike riders, campers, mountain bikers and most importantly fishers! We are first and foremost on the chopping block but with what’s going on with the Labor governments you can bet your backside that these groups will be next. If we can pull in these groups into our fight then we will have the numbers to make real change at state and federal government level. You just have to look at what Labor has in plan for our public land at the moment with regards to handing back control to 10’s of millions of acres to the “traditional owners”. That alone should draw in numbers to our ranks. United we can stand, divided we will fall.
When John Tingle was talking about forming a political party he had a meeting with Ted Pickering the then Police Minister in NSW who told him that the shooters could be a major force but they are too stupid to unite.
Some one I think from WA wrote an article in a shooting magazine where he described shooting groups as “turd heaps” and each turd heap had a little king on the top of it who thought he was better than all the other little kings, resulting again in no co-operation.
To a degree we are our own worst enymies.
The spread of some new style shotguns will in the end cause us more grief, where is self regulation ?
Yep, and it’s the ‘turd heaps’ that I want pushed to one side. There is only one heap – and we should not all think that we should know who should be king. Shooting is way too diverse for that…
That is one perspective on shotguns. The other is grab the opportunity while you can
I fully support & agree to what Dwayne Hart has written!
It is not just the shooting population, but I can see 4×4 driving next then camping,recreational fishing I think will be their last grab!
Like Dwayne said we all need to unite as it is every recreational activity that the Labor & Greens want to crush!
Wake up Australia & open your eyes to actually stand back & see exactly what the Government want to ban in Australia.
It is NOT just shooters,we are the first to go in the Governments agenda all in the guise of public safety!
The criminals do not care about rules & regulations & will carry on as normal.
You do not need a firearm to do damage to a community, JUST look at NSW a week & half back,then Melbourne a few years ago with a car mounting the footpath,plus all the DV incidents that involve knives,petrol & just bashing.
Tackle the real problem in Australian society which is MENTAL ILLNESS! But this is put in the to hard basket so Governments just try banning things all under the banner of PUBLIC SAFETY,with citizens thinking the Government is doing something to address the rise in violence & crime in Australia.
I am 59 years old & never have I seen Australia in such a bad social decline,& with more immigrants coming into the country with little background checks I can see things getting worse.
Once again Neil, you have accurately described the ’30 thousand feet’ viewpoint on this topic. I wholeheartedly agree with your surmising of what the government wide agenda is, and how we need to organise to respond.
I yearn for the day when a national dialogue can occur that recognises the importance of private firearms ownership and it’s important role in personal and national security
We need to be more vocal in promoting rec shooters! Not feel shame of our chosen hobby, sport, way of life. Shooters come from all walks of life like doctors (I know 1) teachers, and so on I my self work in public service in NSW and I have no issues in enlightening people I meet and talk to about hunting, harvesting cooking and conservation of our native species which has no cost to the taxpayer and boosts regional economies. These Labour governments would do better tackling the real issues instead of wasting this money on vote buying topics
Well said Folks united we stand
A huge issue we have here is Australia is, for lack of a better term….’ego’s’ So many gun and shooting groups with a vast number of supporters / subscribers…SSAA, F&G, Shooters Union, National Firearms Association etc………..but all on different pages. It seems that my shotgun is better than your rifle, duck shooting is better than rabbit shooting, my pistol is better than your rifle…….all we do is fight and argue amongst ourselves while the government and police just walk all over our little splinter groups. FFS drop all the ego’s and fight on a united front….we would be the most powerful lobby group in the land by far….and the government will shake in their boots when we speak……..BUT……until we unite, we will remain easy targets for the governmental snipers that pick us off one by one! Wake up before all we have is a bad memory!
A few thoughts:
– I think it would be interesting to make a public registry of responses from each organisation that chooses not to collaborate, along with their openly stated reasons why. Having this publicly visible registry gives morons like me the ability to see what clubs and organisations are saying and, more importantly, which ones to join vs which ones not to join
– I think the ability to print this page “for your club’s noticeboard” would help make life easier for anyone wanting to do just that. Can you guys make this happen? Maybe a PDF version or something?
– What should we write to our local MP? What exactly are we asking them to do? I’m just a moron, I know I’m not happy about our shitty gun laws but what is the expectation from them and what do I need to pursue them for?
Bob – you raise a few points I will need to look at. The printability of what we do isn’t that bad but I’ll see what I can do.
In terms of what to say to your MP, yes, I might do a podcast on that. It’s a great suggestion to cover. Thanks Neil
Looking at the comments here, it would appear that many people know and understand the implications of the way things are and the way they need to be. Unfortunately, the “turd heap” explanation is the best way yet of describing the situation.
There are so many diverse sections of the community with so many different firearms and a number of different groups that have come into existence because of pig-headed dickheads in whatever-organisation that ascended to a position of power and thought that they knew best and refused to consider possible options for a section they didn’t support.
Then you have the typical Australian Apathy where everyone has ideas on how things should run but then go: “Nah, I couldn’t be bothered…” or “I’m too busy…” to contribute but are the loudest to whine and complain around the BBQ (followed soon after by “yeah, but what can ya do?” when the laws get changed and there is a call to stand up to the politicians).
So… to formulate a group collective….
SSAA say to come under us and we’ll be the boss.
SU say to come under us and we’ll be the boss.
Add any number of other groups under here and they’ll all say that they’ll look out for everyone else and they can be the boss.
Where does this leave us? A shit-load of chiefs and nobody who wants to be Indians (if you drew offence at this statement in reference to Native Americans, there is a queue to the left of the people to whom I’ve managed to define as the Queue of the Professionally Insulted. Take a number and I’ll get back to you…. maybe….)
Without sounding like a ‘Neil Fan’ (never met him or spoken by the way… only emails): this forum (Politics Reloaded) is an essential requirement to what we need in Australia – but it cannot be the overall governor of all things shooting. This is the legal & political aspect that stands up for the rights of shooters where we need it most – in the court room.
What about SSAA? They manage the sport side of it…. They manage ranges and, going on comments heard around the place, have alienated a hell of a lot of shooters by doing SFA when they needed it. This isn’t bagging SSAA – it’s observation.
Primary Producers…. Hunters…. Hunters-who-eat-their-catch…. Professional Hunters (for culling)…. Pistol shooters…. Shotgun shooters… Cowboy Action…. Ex-Defence…. Ex-Police… people who support open/concealed carry….
How can all of these aspects come together?
A perfect name for the conglomeration would be “Shooter’s Union” – but, again unfortunately, that name is taken and has it’s own hierarchy to the “turd heap”.
The questions now are: How do you form an overseeing group/body that….
1. … is to be like a governing body where all the diverse groups allow themselves to come under the umbrella without the toxic personal agendas of the little-Eichmann who believes they know better than everyone else.
2. … manages to stay focused on what it important; employs good communication; stays true to the vision of the group; and doesn’t end up being run by the toxic dickheads that seem to get entrenched and do everything for their mates and SFA for everyone else?
3. … doesn’t end up being a committee run by government.
4. … remains firm to the job instead of the person (ie: little-Eichmann) and does what is best by shooters while providing the show of strength to politicians.
(sigh) It’s a pipe dream, of course.
It needs to be done but personalities and allegiances will prevent it ever doing so.
Hey HJ. Thanks for the kudos and the observations. You’re dead right. The ‘turd heaps’ are not only a problem, but they’re holding us back.
The National Gun Conference seeks to get around that. I had a discussion with another entity today who could help with that. Fingers crossed…. ta Neil J
All your guns lead to you and that on its own will make any shooter a target when it comes time for the communist plan to take place. Australia and the hunting community can’t see the major importance of a militia group because Australia has been demoralised of their real culture and ideologies. It’s why shooters of today think it’s a privilege to own a gun and not a right. A patriot is a figure totally opposite in ideologies then a feminist. Loves his family and friends and is always polite but strong and masculine. Woke men are hybrid female men and are against every concept of why they should be not owning or even touching a gun period.
To be in a freedom militia, you should be totally self sufficient of ammunition and unmarked gun’s, because you’ll be needing them soon. The gun take from the government is an indication of leaving you till last so when they do take your gun’s, that’s the same time the communism kicks in and no sight of any militia because Australian shooters were made stupid they didn’t even see it coming. It’s like taking an apple from a baby.
But, if you have a secret militia inside the shooting community you trust. The complacency goes back onto them.
I’m not saying I agree with you, but respect that that’s your view – hence why I ok’d it. Thanks
So what law are these rules under? Common or maritime? No law can be altered unless voted by the commonwealth people according to our Commonwealth constitution 1900UK in which we abide by being common lore. The government is a corporation ruled by the UN, WEF, WHO, and the Rockefeller’s. We rule under common law. We are a living being. The words used against us is maritime law which is in the BLACKS dictionary not English. They speak double Dutch to confuse us with an all cap fictitious name. Treason and tyranny comes to mind.
People need to wake up to the illegitimate corporate government which under our commonwealth constitution 1900UK states, no corporation can govern any commonwealth, but yet it’s happened world wide in every commonwealth country.
They started with demersable fishing in WA, talk is next will be beach fishing and access to beach’s to the public. It’s all apart of the NEW WORLD ORDER, and ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT the WEF and UN are implementing. Why are unelected people ruling our realm, wrote a book on how we’ll own nothing and be happy after they’ve depopulated the world by at least 50-70%. All in Clause Schwabs book, Covid 19 and The Great Reset.