We have received many inquiries from concerned members regarding the negative media coverage surrounding the new import Adler lever-action shotgun, with some members questioning possible restrictions extending to other lever-action firearms.
As the SSAA National President, I can assure members that the SSAA has been actively investigating the situation and has been in contact with the authorities regarding any proposed changes to current regulations. SSAA National will be meeting with the Federal Attorney-General’s Department in the coming weeks, where we will discuss this issue, along with the ongoing review into the technicalities of the National Firearms Agreement (NFA).
At a federal level, we have been assured by Justice Minister Michael Keenan’s office that no decision has been made regarding the NFA, and have been assured that there will be consultation with key stakeholders including the SSAA and firearms industry before any changes are made. Any recommendations will not be considered until the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting, scheduled for 2016.
Members may be aware that we have issued a press release raising our concerns about the media coverage surrounding lever-actions, and we have responded to many media calls. I have also written a frank and forthright opinion piece for a newspaper highlighting our concerns, which is expected to be published later this week.
While we note that some firearm groups have suggested there could be a ban on lever-actions, at this stage we do not believe this to be the case.
If members would like to contact their local MP, this would be a good opportunity to remind politicians that the resources and time of police and authorities would be better spent targeting the illegal firearms threat, rather than further onerous regulations against licensed, law-abiding firearm owners.
I thank you for your ongoing support, and I can assure you that the SSAA will continue to actively protect our member’s interests and freedoms as we have done since 1948.