The Nationals candidate for Gippsland East, Gemma Rendell, has joined senior federal Nationals Darren Chester and Senator Bridget McKenzie at a community firearms forum in Bairnsdale to discuss changes to firearm laws and their impact on Victoria’s 207,000 licensed, law-abiding firearm owners.
The forum, held at the Bairnsdale Sporting and Convention Centre, provided an opportunity to update sporting shooters, hunters, farmers and firearm owners in East Gippsland about recent legislative changes and the threat posed by further restrictions from state and federal Labor governments.
Under pressure from tens of thousands of sporting shooters and law-abiding firearm owners, the Victorian Labor Government recently backed away from a Federal Government push to impose a national firearms buyback on all states and territories.
To date, only New South Wales and the ACT have agreed to participate in the Albanese Government’s buyback scheme.
Ms Rendell, who is a hunter herself, said firearms were used responsibly by many people in East Gippsland for legitimate on-farm, sporting and recreational purposes, as well as pest animal control.
“Many law-abiding people in East Gippsland own and use firearms for very legitimate reasons, including farming, sport, hunting and controlling invasive pest species,” Ms Rendell said.
“For my family, hunting also helps put food on the table.
“This forum was about listening to local firearm owners, giving them the opportunity to raise their concerns, and making sure they have access to accurate information about changes to the law.
“Responsible firearm owners should not be treated like criminals because governments are looking for a political distraction.”
Deputy Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said the Albanese Government’s attempt to pursue a national firearms buyback was misguided and unfairly targeted regional communities.
“Instead of confronting the hard issues around extremism, social cohesion, criminal gangs and national security, the Prime Minister is pursuing a knee-jerk response that unfairly targets law-abiding firearm owners,” Mr Chester said.
“That is particularly concerning for regional and rural communities like Gippsland, where firearms are safely and responsibly used for farming, pest animal control, sport and recreation.
“I remain a strong supporter of the right of law-abiding citizens to own firearms for legal purposes.
“The focus should be on illegal firearms, organised crime and people who pose a genuine threat to public safety, not farmers, hunters and sporting shooters who already comply with strict laws.”
Senator McKenzie, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Shadow Minister for Regional Development, said The Nationals position on firearm reform remained clear.
“Respond to the actual threat of radical Islamic terrorism and criminal gangs, don’t target law-abiding Australian firearm owners,” Senator McKenzie said.
“When the Prime Minister says, ‘we need to get the guns off the streets’, he should know the people carrying those illegal guns are criminal gangs and Islamic extremists, not farmers, hunters and sporting shooters.”
More than 70,000 people have signed The Nationals’ petition, which has been tabled in Federal Parliament, opposing Labor’s buyback scheme and further restrictions on law-abiding firearm owners.
“We have also recently tabled a Bill to repeal the Federal legislation,” Senator McKenzie said.
“The Nationals will continue to stand up for responsible firearm owners and regional communities that are being unfairly targeted by city-centric policy decisions.”
