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Voting in the federal election has started

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 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 from bad laws & policy – and some 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.

Federal involvement in firearms

GUN LAWS are predominately a state issue.  The Federal Government’s main involvement is at controlling what enters and leaves our borders -and maintaining the National Firearms Agreement.

The NFA is the central focal point of our state governments – except that they only comply with it when it suits them.

IF they were ‘true to their word’, our gun laws would be uniform – and we wouldn’t be seeing the attacks on shooters in Tasmania, Queensland – or Western Australia that we’re seeing right now.

…but as you know, states are coming up with their own laws – and this is something that needs to be stopped.

Our recommendations

FOR SHOOTERS outside Western Australia, we recommend shooters simply vote for the pro-gun parties first, followed by their choice of Liberal or Labor – and the Greens and Animal Justice Party last.

Federal pro-gun parties who may be on your large white ballot paper include, Katter, One Nation and the Libertarian Party.

Where to vote

EARLY VOTING has already started.   Click here for information on the Australian Electoral Commission’s website on where you can vote now.

Tasmania

TASMANIA is the only state where we recommend shooters vote Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party. 

The SFFP’s Phillip Bigg is one of the few candidates we feel can not only articulate the challenges and options facing shooters, but is more than happy to play hard-ball in the political arena where needed.

New South Wales

THE ONLY ray of light we see here is voting for Labor’s Dan Repacholi in the seat of Hunter.

Dan’s very much a shooter, having represented Australia in pistol shooting.

He has been busy helping to educate other federal MPs who know nothing about shooting, which we reckon is a real plus.

We need Dan Repacholi to be returned.

Victoria

IT’S A MIXED BAG for Victorians.  State Labor is starting to do real harm for shooters – but for now, we’re just recommending that if you’re:

• in the seat of La Trobe (Beaconsfield etc), you vote for Labor.  
  That’s because the local member, Liberal’s Jason Wood, is vehemently anti-gun with a strong track record of speaking out against private firearm ownership; and
• in the seat of McEwen (Whittlesea), voting Liberal. 
  That’s because the local member, Labor’s Rob Mitchell, has a history of cosying up to shooting organisations to get their support, without ever returning the favour.

Queensland

If you’re in Queensland, you’ve got the really great option of voting for Katter’s Australian Party.

We also recommend you keep an eye on the Shooters Union Australia’s website for any last minute advice they put out.

Western Australia

THE BIG NEWS in this election is the opportunity that Western Australian shooters have to push back against the draconian new gun laws in that state.

The laws need little introduction. They include severe limits on what you can own and where you can shoot.   

They have requirements for regular mental and physical health checks – and compliance costs that are significantly higher than the rest of Australia.

All brought to you by WA’s state Labor Party.

While guns ARE a state issue, we recommend shooters in WA TAKE IT OUT ON FEDERAL LABOR. 

Federal Labor candidates will try to distance themselves from the gun issue, but the WA Labor branch hosts their profiles on their own website – and is backing their federal campaign. 

So they’re joined at the hips.

In other words, don’t cop the excuse that federal Labor candidates will give you “that it’s a state issue”.

Instead, make it a state AND federal issue by voting that way. 

Tell your Labor candidates that the issue is way too important to simply brush off like that.

Your vote against Labor in WA will add pressure to the whole Labor movement to back away from the mess it has created.

Why not put this on your club’s noticeboard?