IN THIS BLOG we reveal:
- How the SSAA white anted good pro-gun policies that the Coalition was happy to run with; and
- Used a board member to ensure preferences went to the Legalise Cannabis Party over the Coalition.
THE COALITION has confirmed that it has dumped a raft of pro-shooting policies as direct a result of discussions with SSAA Vic.
Self interest rules
The Coalition has confirmed that it was considering a broad range of policies, but
only kept those that where beneficial to the SSAA, in order to keep its working relationship with the SSAA’s communication manager and serial pest, Barry Howlett (right).
It is our understanding from Coalition source that the SSAA only wanted policies that benefited it and dismissed other policies that would have benefited shooters more broadly.
The policies that the SSAA backed include a hunting plan that it is directly involved with, funding for its own facilities, and the continuation of a consultative committee that it has a seat at.
Self interest rules
SSAA’s selfishness is not new. Readers might recall how SSAA previously told shooters who were concerned about draconian new gun laws:.
“In the current context, the Association does not consider the proposed changes to be excessive or onerous”
That’s because they had a seat at a government table where they were comfortable with the sandwiches that they were given, while they agreed to the news laws. The SSAA must have liked the sandwiches so much, they felt it was important enough to ask the Coalition to ensure the committee continues, which looks likely.
The sad reality is that the committee has never changed any gun laws for the better or produced any news that is good for shooters.
Instead the SSAA is comfortable with justifying the laws that we get given to us. All in the name of egg and avocado.
The disrespectful neighbour
You might also recall it’s more recent claims of having been responsible for having shooting included in the 2026 Commonwealth Games (which was completely disrespectful of the work of Shooting Australia).
The SSAA also torpedoed the Combined Firearms Council of Australia causing other shooting organisations to walk away from the one unified banner they had. Again, disrespectful of who they are.
They also convinced the federal government to commission a study that ignored what the other 90 shooting organisations in Australia do and downplayed the importance of target shooting. Disrespectful
The SSAA was never this bad or difficult to get on with.
They used to be collaborative but under current management, have shown no interest in fighting for shooters, and take the view that if you are not a member of the SSAA, you are their enemy.
What shooters will miss out on
Among those policies that the Coalition agreed to but says the SSAA rejected were:
- RIGHTS: The inclusion of appeal rights for shooters facing licence suspensions;
- CLARITY: Changes to the Firearms Act to make it clear firearm prohibition orders are to be used for criminal activities, and not as a backdoor way of penalising shooters;
- A POSITIVE CHANGE: Changes to the Firearms Act to embed a pro-shooting narrative into law which would have changed how the government talks about shooting and develops policy;
The SSAA did support the retention of duck hunting, but we understand rejected new protections that would have guarded the sport against political interference.
Instead, the commitments that the Coalition has decided to proceed with are ones that only the SSAA will benefit from.
It means the other 200,000 licensed shooters in Victoria will miss out on changes that actually matter to them.
SSAA preferences whackos over the nats
Yet the SSAA is not going to return the favour.
We recently reported that the SSAA is running one of its own board members as a candidate in the election and donating to the SFFP’s campaign.
That candidate, Josh Knight, is preferencing Hinch’s Justice Party (Hinch is anti-gun) and the Legalise Cannabis Party before the Nationals and Liberals.
These deals were only came to light after the Coalition wrote to the SSAA, so it’s our guess that they’re also scratching their heads at what the SSAA is doing.
Never a team player
The SSAA Vic now has a firm track record of not wanting to work with other shooting organisations outside its own circle.
This means it won’t work with the other 30 shooting organisations in Victoria.
In fact, the SSAA’s conduct on the Combined Firearms Council of Victoria is why that entity no longer functions.
The SSAA refused to abide by majority decisions, with the result that that other shooting organisations walked away from the table.
In short, shooting will never win while the SSAA behaves in this way, or with Mr Howlett on board.
The NSC won't sell out
That’s obviously the wrong approach to take, however is why the NSC has grown mainly from SSAA members who have grown sick and tired of what they are seeing.
The good news is that we are speaking with the Coalition about fixing the mess that has been created and are confident that it will restore its policies if it manages to form government.
In the meantime, the SSAA now has several questions it will need to answer to its members on, including the donation it made to the SFFP, the decision to run a board member as a candidate who preferenced an anti-gunner and the weed party above the Coalition, and why it whiteanted pro-gun policies that shooters need.
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Setting the record straight with the registry
On 11 April, Evan sent an email to the registry with the following information:
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$$AA don’t just treat other pro shooting organisations as the enemy, they also treat their own members like dog shit.
Speaking from personal experience so I know what I’m talking about
Alan Bentham tells it how it is, I know this too.
I have not been happy with the SSAA as I always thought that they were heading down the track of unless you are a member you will not be able to shoot eg. farmer assist program but unfor tunatly we have to be a member of one of these to keep our licence eg. VRA Dieing sport no stimulus to grow the sport clubs are agressive to new shooters with no support for them so they leave. Just take the monies pay top dogs and fuck you.
SSAA is a cult.
Don’t forget the deafening silence from ssaa when the State Labour Government parties shut down the gun shops ,during the Covid excuse . the Labour Parties were exposed by the NSC as being extremely careless with the truth .
Another Labour Party and associated mates efforts to severely limit the rights of constituents who wish to follow a
legitimate Sport
I’ve not had an opinion either way in the SSAA since joining but I’ve met a lot of people over the years who hate them with a passion.
Unfortunately, it’s like any other club where the most toxic of people stay in there and bring their sociopathic/narcissistic tendencies to the committee and then work to exclude anyone who may hold a differing opinion rather than allowing the age-old adage about free speech taking place. These same people seen to think that their opinions cannot be questioned by members in the same way that a 4yo grandchild can question them on they driving abilities.
The more I talk to people, the more the distrust of the SSAA grows.
Hugh Jwang that was very well composed and Said, good stuff indeed.