In the last week of Parliament Robert and Mark continued to advocate for underrepresented members of the community, honour those who contribute to our society, and fight bad legislation designed purely to placate miniscule fringe groups whose goals are to tear apart the foundations of our communities.

The last couple weeks have been hectic in Parliament and both Robert and Mark have continued as they left off in Supplementary Budget Estimates the week before.

Over the past fortnight, Robert and Mark have spent time at Supplementary Budget Estimates questioning ministers and senior public servants in all government departments through the various upper house Portfolio Committees. Budget Estimates are a unique opportunity for members of the Legislative Council (the NSW Upper House) to hold the government and public service accountable and it is where the value of having members in parliament shines. Shooting, fishing and rural lobby groups and organisations may plead with the government to help them, but SFF can scrutinise and embarrass the government into acting by exposing their shortcomings at Budget Estimates.

The 2024 Tasmanian State Election is just around the corner. 

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In the final week of Parliament for 2023, Robert and Mark were at it again fighting government incompetence and extreme fringe politics. And there was no lack of nonsensical decisions and crazy ideology which, if allowed to go unchecked would continue to impact on shooters and hunters, fishers of all descriptions and people in rural and regional communities. There was so much garbage that Robert and Mark found themselves leaving Parliament House after midnight more than once.

While we all share the common goal of enhancing community safety, I firmly believe that the Bill, as currently drafted, constitutes an unjustified attack on law-abiding firearm ownership. It appears to be driven more by political concerns than by evidence-based policy making. Rather than targeting responsible firearm owners, I believe that our efforts should be focused on increasing penalties for firearm theft, being in possession of stolen firearms, and the like. The introduction of tougher sentencing for such crimes would undoubtedly be a step in the right direction rather than demonizing licensed firearm holders as this Bill does in its current state. 

READ OUR SFF TASMANIA APRIL 2023 NEWSLETTER HERE!

Forestry workers in the States north are experiencing illegal protests at their work sites, with one contractor told their machinery would be “burnt to the ground”, says Shooters Fishers and Farmers MLC, Mark Banasiak.