SSAA Queensland President Bob Green has invited Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad to learn about lever-action firearms firsthand at a SSAA range, following inaccurate comments aired in a video recently shared by the MP.
Bob said education was the key to dispelling myths and misinformation – something he and the rest of Queensland’s SSAA members were only too happy to help with. “I’d like to personally invite Ms Trad to come along to one of our SSAA Queensland ranges so she can handle, understand and fire a real lever-action shotgun, under the supervision of our experienced and friendly team,” he said. “It would be a perfect opportunity for Ms Trad to learn more about how the firearm works, why alleged concerns around lever-action shotguns are groundless – and how shooting is already an extremely well-regulated sport, which doesn’t require further unnecessary complication.”
The video featured Deputy Premier Trad campaigning to “ban the Adler shotgun” on behalf of the Labor Party. The SSAA-LA urged our members to contact Ms Trad directly, with many sharing her response to their emails with us. Disappointingly, Ms Trad has indicated that she will not reconsider her stance on the issue, despite the factual feedback from law-abiding firearm owners.
Bob rejected Ms Trad’s assertion when she said: “While lever-action technology is not new, the improvement of manufacturing standards, metals, tolerances and durability means that newer lever-action shotguns like the Adler are technological improvements that are faster and more reliable.”
“This is not correct – there have been modern replicas of the Model 1887 shotgun available in Australia for nearly 20 years, all of which are made with modern manufacturing standards, metals, tolerances and durability,” said Bob. “There have been no issues with them being misused criminally, to the best of my knowledge, and I would suggest the only major difference between the long-available Model 1887 and newer firearms such as the Adler 110 is that the new firearms look like a pump-action shotgun, which can be confronting or confusing to people with limited real-world knowledge of firearms.”
Plans to recategorise lever-action shotguns in the Sunshine State following the decision taken at COAG late last year are far from final. Queensland’s Liberal National Party has publically stated that it has not ruled out blocking any attempts in the Parliament, as have the two Katter Australia Party MPs.