We’ve had good news from Queensland. As many of you will know, SSAA (Qld) has had its membership suspended. So in order for shooters in that state to have an option to be a part of the far bigger national structure, SSAA Inc (National) established SSAA Queensland Hunting and Shooting (SSAA QHS). In that state, your organisation needs to be approved as a genuine reason to own a firearm by Queensland Police, so I’m delighted to let you know QHS recently received this approval, which is a marvellous result for President Steve Knight and his team.
By joining, you’re part of the national structure, have a genuine reason for shooting and are covered for $20m of public liability by a genuine insurance product. Furthermore, you can compete in national competitions and will receive a digital copy of Australian Shooter, the nation’s biggest-selling shooting magazine (for an extra $25 a year you’ll get all 11 print editions). You also have access to SSAA competitions, receive our twice-weekly email with news and updates from around the shooting world, discounts on merchandise and publications and will be able to join SSAA firearms protection, all for just $105 a year.
In other news, Tasmania is the latest state to debate changing firearms legislation. The Liberal government is looking to make changes to the types of firearms you can own and have proposed legislation to do that. Labor, the Greens and a bunch of independents in the lower house want to go further and impose caps on the number of firearms we can own. This will be debated this month after a consultation period which ran through July.
If you live in the island state and want to help stop crazies in parliament ruining our sport, now’s the time to take action. SSAA (Tasmania) has been working hard to meet MPs and put across our point of view, yet nothing hits home like contact in numbers. Strangely, Premier Jeremy Rockliff has refused to meet with shooting groups.
Stay tuned to SSAA TV on YouTube for the latest updates but, in the meantime, write to the MPs in your electorate (there are seven in each electorate) and in the upper house to let them know you oppose these changes. It doesn’t take much time and contacting your MPs can make a big difference. Your input needn’t be overly long or even that eloquent, though you do need to act if we’re to save our sport.
It’s always better to write your own letter and you can use the dot points on the SSAA national website to help (feel free to use AI if that makes it easier). If you’re not comfortable writing a letter of your own, there will be a form version you can use, but keep in mind your own heartfelt words are always more effective, just keep it polite. As my mum used to say, you catch more flies with a teaspoon of honey than a tablespoon of vinegar.
We’re also keeping an eye on the Victorian parliament, where SSAA (Vic) are trying to shape the legislation which will be debated later this year. We’ll keep you up to date on that one as it develops.