Greens’ silence speaks volumes

Silence from the Australian Greens when presented with the opportunity to address the SSAA’s 150,000-plus members speaks volumes for the party’s lack of support for our way of life. The Greens’ anti-civilian firearms ownership and anti-hunting views are no secret, as is the party’s evident lack of understanding of what target shooting and recreational hunting is really all about.

When putting this Federal Election publication together, SSAA National approached The Greens’ national office with an offer of equal coverage to appear with a range of Australia’s major political parties. With no response and the passing of deadlines, the SSAA can only assume that The Greens have no interest in addressing a major cross-section of Australia’s voters.

In 2010, just prior to the previous Federal Election, then Greens Leader Bob Brown stated he would “not be coerced by the gun lobby”, refusing to concede that firearm owners’ votes would be useful in increasing his party’s vote. Brown’s ignorance of the real issue of firearms in Australia has been shown many times as he isn’t shy about addressing the media about it.

Over the years, Brown has suggested that firearm owners carry ‘hand-machine-guns’ and keep firearms in their car glove box. He had also claimed on many occasions that Australia has very lax gun laws.

Since Brown’s retirement in 2012, the anti-firearm movement has continued.

The Greens have long been an advocate of banning hunting in New South Wales national parks and state forests, and have given their time to the Coalition for Gun Control. Just recently, The Greens called for a 1996-esque national handgun buy-back.

In December 2012, The Greens stated that “gun control is unfinished business in Australia”. If the current political landscape continues, where The Greens have had the power to influence the Labor Government, this may well be the case.

It is this disinterest and outright objection to legal, legitimate firearms ownership and recreational hunting that should encourage all SSAA members to educate themselves about their local candidates and party preferences to ensure their vote does not accidently support The Greens in 2013.

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