Proposed commonsense changes to Tasmania’s gun laws are still irking anti-gun groups, who have taken another swipe at the SSAA and our members. This time, Gun Control Australia’s (GCA) Roland Browne has wrongly accused the SSAA of receiving funding from the NRA, while again falsely portraying the floated gun law changes as a secret promise.
Singling out the SSAA, Mr Browne told ABC Radio Hobart that: “This is a group that describes itself as being in a powerful financial position, has a $20 million a year revenue base, is associated and linked with the NRA in America, has in the past received funding from the NRA and the Premier, to our astonishment, has offered them $59,000 in secret, and it concerns us greatly.”
In reality, the SSAA is a not-for-profit sporting organisation that funds grassroots shooting clubs and ranges; runs education initiatives for new and seasoned shooters; hosts state, national and international shooting competitions; and works to increase participation in our safe, fun and all-abilities sport. On top of this, we also undertake countless environmental projects that help save our native flora and fauna.
To further correct the record, the $59,000 promised to SSAA Tasmania was to finance a new sporting clay-target system at one of our ranges; and the SSAA is not funded by the NRA. We are entirely self-supportive. Further claims that changes to gun laws were kept secret is also false ‑ the proposed changes were communicated directly to all licensed shooters more than two weeks prior to the election. The details were also clearly outlined on the SSAA website and shared with our members, who the changes would actually affect.
The accusation comes in the midst of a donation drive by GCA, with the group sending emails rattling the tin to subsidise its activities. The SSAA will continue to promote the legitimate sport of shooting and recreational hunting, ignoring the naysayers who refuse to accept our chosen pastime, as we approach 200,000 members.