An Important Election for Shooters
The canning by- election
When Don Randall, the federal member for Canning passed away, he left vacant a position in the House of Representatives (the Lower House) that both major parties and ten minor parties are now competing furiously to win.
| Whilst the seat of Canning is of no significant importance in the day to day governing of the country (the Liberals will still hold a majority in the lower house even if they lose Canning), the upcoming by-election does present an opportunity for electors in the Canning electorate to be heard. Voters have the chance to voice the view that firearms are an important tool for primary production and that shooting is a valid and enjoyable recreational activity. |  |
The Canning electorate covers a large area, which includes Armadale and Mandurah as its main population hubs. Also within the borders of the Canning Electorate are the following shooting clubs:
- Southern Districts Rifle Club
- Jarrahdale Sporting Shooters
- Port Bouvard Pistol Club
- Peel and Districts Gun Club
- Boddington Rifle Club
There are several clubs just outside the Canning electorate whose members might reside within the electorate of Canning and may be voting in the upcoming by-election. These include:
- Canning club
- Cockburn Fremantle Pistol Club
- Yarloop Rifle Club
- Armadale-Byford Rifle Club
- Darling Range Rifle Club
It is easy to see that target shooting is a popular recreational activity widely enjoyed within the Canning electorate.
The Canning electorate also boasts some of the most productive farm land in Western Australia. There are orchards producing fresh fruit; cattle farms producing beef and grain crops; meat and wool sheep production and market gardens. In fact, Canning covers nearly all the agricultural and rural bases, and each of the many farms and farming families in the Canning electorate have a pest problem. Feral animals such as rabbits, foxes and pigs are a constant menace, and population spikes in kangaroo numbers cause losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Every year, farmers contract the services of recreational hunters and professional shooters to control these pests.
The Canning electorate is an important area for recreational target shooters, recreational hunters and professional shooters.
As such, over the last several weeks we have attempted to contact all the candidates for the federal seat of Canning to find out what their view on firearms are. We asked them four simple firearm-related questions, which were:
- What is your position on the importation of the Adler lever action shotgun (a recent Federal issue)?
- What is your position on legitimate firearm ownership for recreational use in Australia?
- What is your position on legitimate firearm ownership for use on primary production land in Australia?
- What is your position on legitimate firearm ownership in the Canning electorate?
Their replies are set out below:
| Katrina Love – ANIMAL JUSTICE PARTY
“In response to your questions regarding my position on firearms and firearm use, the party does not have a specific policy on firearms, but our stance on them ties in with our policies on introduced animals, kangaroos and wildlife: 1) We are opposed to it. 2) We are opposed to the recreational use of firearms to inflict injury or death upon any animals – we are not opposed to the use of firearms for target shooting using inanimate objects. 3) We are in favour of the legitimate ownership of firearms on primary production land in Australia for the purpose of euthanasia only. We would support the use of a firearm to terminate the life of an animal for consumption, over cutting its throat, but we are opposed in general to the slaughter of animals for non-euthanasia purposes. 4) As per the responses above – if there is primary production land in the Canning electorate on which the owner may be required to euthanase an animal or in the instances of using registered firearms in the form of recreational inanimate target shooting.” |
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| Greg Smith – AUSTRALIAN VETERANS DEFENCE PARTY
“The Party supports responsible use of firearms for police, military, farmers and recreational shooters, who should be Members of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia. Gun control under existing legislation should not be watered down.
As for the Adler lever-action shotgun, I am only “news familiar” with it, via the controversy surrounding it.
I would envisage the Party would approach its use the same way we do with all firearms: that all weapons be only used responsibly and by those licensed to do so.” |
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| Michelle Allen – PIRATE PARTY
“We are a new party and still working on expanding our policy set. As you can see from our Platform document here: https://pirateparty.org.au/wiki/Platform we have expanded into a number of areas, but as yet we have not developed a formal position on firearms. We have no hostility to lawful firearm owners and come to this issue open-minded. Our members write our policies, and we will be happy to hear any evidence or insight you can offer on the subject.” |
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| Connor Whittle – LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
“1) The Liberal Democrats have fought hard on the specific issue of the Adler lever action shotgun to allow its importation free from the machinations of the Liberal-Green gun control attempts. We have always fought for shooters’ rights and have opposed any attempt to increase the restrictions on lever and pump action firearms and oppose any restrictive changes to the National Firearms Agreement.My personal position is one that mirrors these sentiments exactly and thoroughly. Please view the video for Senator David Leyonhjelm address to parliament on this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXRfBo9RGEQ 2 and 3) I, as with the entirety of the LDP, am fully in support of recreational and professional use of firearms for any reason that does not, by its own action, cause harm to others. 4) Not enough firearm owners. You may find our full firearms policy at the link below: |
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Unfortunately, Vimal Kumar Sharma from the Palmer United Party and Jim McCourt from the Family First Party could not be contacted via email to request their answers on the topic of firearms.
Jamie Van Burgel (Australian Christians), Angela Smith (Sustainable Population Party), Vanessa Rauland (The Greens), Matt Keogh (Australian Labor Party), Andrew Hastie (Liberals) and Teresa Van Lieshout (Independent) all chose not to answer my questions, even though they were contacted several times.
I have much more respect for someone that voices their opinion, regardless of whether I agree with that opinion or not, than someone who ignores their constituents.
I hope the information provided helps you in deciding who deserves your vote in this election
Zaine Beaton
Manager
Beaton Firearms
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