AN explosive report from Fairfax media reports that according to Canberra sources, the Federal Government made no decision to ban the sale of firearms or ammunition in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic at the National Cabinet. Despite State Labor claims that the decisions on Firearm Sales Bans were made at the national Cabinet.
The sources told the age that Victoria and WA proactively raised the topic of firearms during the National Cabinet discussions solely to provide the Prime Minister with a list of retail activities they were proposing to shut down.
Victorian Police Minister Lisa Neville announced “a decision of national cabinet to put a temporary ban” on March 31. Queensland official also claimed that the national cabinet had a central role in the decision making.
Firearms owners in Labor-led states are rightfully upset that their hobby is being suspended, and that their livestock are at risk, because of the political use of emergency powers by Labor governments.
In a statement to The Age, one sheep farmer in Western Victoria was about to run out of ammunition to keep his sheep safe from foxes. “We are losing five to six sheep a night and burning them the next day because we can’t defend stock,”
“It’s starting to look like a political thing because it’s only happening in the Labor states,” said Graham Park, president of Shooters Union.
“No non-Labor state at this point has even shown any interest and we have gotten letters back from several states saying ‘we have no interest in following that route’.”
According to The Age, a spokesman told them that the ban was required after an increase in ammunition sales which was mirroring panic buying in other sectors.
However, as all shooters know, the buying increase was due to the price rises and shortages that were flowing through due to Americas panic buying, and the weakening dollar. The weakening dollar leading to 15% rises in prices of firearms across the board, according to a GunHub report.
