How you can vote for
job security, a strong local economy, decreasing youth crime and better support for local farmers this October.

Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Alannah Tomlinson, the Katter Australia Party Candidate for your electorate of Mundingburra. A passionate advocate for your region, Alannah is contesting the seat to “Make Townsville Great” and address the changes made to legislation stopping Townsville police from effectively fighting juvenile crime. 

“I am a person of conviction and believe in fairness and what is right. Not enough is being done for our region for those that live here. I want better for everyone in our community including safety, growth and stability. Come see what KAP really do.”

A passionate advocate for the Townsville region, Alannah has policies aimed to build infrastructure, protect jobs, decrease youth crime and provide better support for our farmers and primary producers.

Shooters Union is endorsing Alannah as our pick for the candidate most likely to bring about meaningful and lasting change in the Mundingburra region. 

AUSTRALIA’S pre-eminent pro-shooting organisation has unveiled a new app to give shooters and supporters information about elections and advice on how to vote to protect their interests.

The free Shooters Union How To Vote Pro-Gun app provides users with a range of useful pro-shooting electoral and voting information relevant to them, to help them make an informed and pro-gun choice at the ballot box.

The app is available free at https://howtovoteprogun.com.au/ for PC and on the Google Play store for Android devices.  

We have developed an iOS version for Apple devices but the Apple Store have been dragging their feet on approving it – allegedly because of COVID-19; we think it could also possibly because it’s a pro-gun voting app and that doesn’t suit certain agendas.

Note: the App is currently ONLY providing functional information for the Queensland State Election

It will be updated for other states and elections in future.

Shooters Union Australia president Graham Park said the How To Vote Pro-Gun app was, as far as he was aware, the first time in Australian history a pro-shooting group had put together such an app – and it was available to anyone who wanted to use it, not just Shooters Union members.

“We’ve been saying for more than 20 years that shooters need to vote to protect their interests, and in every election we get inundated with members across the state asking ‘who should I vote for?’,” he said.

“Collating an electorate-by-electorate list of who shooters should vote for to protect their rights and give them a fair go has previously been a lot of work and getting that info to the people who need it in an accessible fashion has also proven a challenge.

“Now, thanks to the incredibly hard work of the Shooters Union team as well as advances in computers, internet, smartphones and tablets, we can finally do that effectively.”

Whether it’s finding out what electorate a person lives in to listing all the candidates there based on Shooters Union recommendations, the How To Vote Pro-Gun app can help shooters and supporters ensure their vote makes the most difference on polling day.

The app will initially cover the 2020 Queensland election but is designed so it will be quickly updated for all State and Federal elections as they occur.

“No matter where you live in Australia, if there’s a State or Federal election affecting you, we will have the appropriate voting advice available via this app,” Mr Park said.

“Watch this space – we’re just getting started.”

PLEASE SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH EVERY QUEENSLAND SHOOTER OR SUPPORTER IN YOUR NETWORKS

Let’s put Townsville First!

Recently we had the pleasure of interviewing Josh Schwarz, the Katter’s Australian Party Candidate for your electorate of Townsville. A passionate advocate for your region, Josh is contesting the seat to “unlock the potential of our amazing home.” 

“For decades the LNP and ALP have neglected the Townsville region… only remembering we exist once an election is called. 

In this election, let’s put Brisbane last by choosing politicians who are committed to NQ and seeing it prosper.

KAP candidate for Townsville, Josh Schwarz says NO to asset sales, YES to the big projects that will pull our struggling economy out of the COVID recession. 

Josh says YES to jobs and YES to agricultural & manufacturing development (including Smart Water Management Programs), tourism, defence and health project development.  Let’s get the region building so we can get back to prosperity. 

If you care about Townsville and more importantly your children’s future then make sure you vote for a party that is committed to delivering on the big projects that will get us out of the COVID-19 recession.

The KAP are CLEARLY the only party that has the vision, guts, will and determination to do what’s best for Townsville.

This election, let’s put Brisbane last. Watch the video below to find out more. ”

Shooters Union is endorsing Josh as our pick for the candidate most likely to bring about meaningful and lasting change in the Townsville region. 

Shooter’s Union Australia Vice President, David Brown interviews the KAP Candidate for Townsville Joshua Schwarz

This is your opportunity to learn more about the concerns in your electorate and how your candidate plans to make improvements.

Tune in and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

This October, the Major Parties have to go. For decades the ALP and LNP have ignored the youth crime wave taking over our city. In this election let’s put Brisbane last by choosing a candidate who is commited to achieving WHAT TOWNSVILLE needs.

Vote 1 for Julianne Wood, KAP Candidate in Thuringowa to Take Back Townsville from it’s criminal gangs and youth crime.

Julianne has a plan that’s offers more than a slap on the wrist or an easily overlooked/difficult to enfore night time curfew.

Our relocation sentencing plan will give our troubled youth skills, discipline and chance for a new start in life (whilst also providing valuable services to rural and regional property owners who could use some extra person-power.

The KAP are CLEARLY the only party that has the vision, guts, will and determination to do what’s best for Townsville.

This election, let’s put Brisbane last. Watch the video below to find out more. ”

Shooter’s Union Australia delegate, David Brown interviews Leader of the KAP Robbie Katter & Thuringowa Candidate Julianne Wood.

This is your opportunity to learn more about the concerns in your electorate and how your candidate plans to make improvements.

Tune in and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

We’re doing the hard work for you to screen candidates. Meet the Shooters Union Endorsed Candidate for COOK – TANIKA PARKER

Shooter’s Union Australia delegate, David Brown interviews Member for Hill Shane Knuth & Cook Candidate Tanika Parker.

This is your opportunity to learn more about the concerns in your electorate and how your candidate plans to make improvements.

Tune in and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

We’re doing the research for you, so you don’t have to.

Meet your Candidate in Condamine. GREG PRIEBE

Shooter’s Union Australia delegate, David Brown interviews Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party candidate Greg Priebe

This is your opportunity to learn more about the concerns in your electorate and how your candidate plans to make improvements.

Tune in and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

Meet The Candidate for Gympie – Anthony Perrett

Shooter’s Union Australia President, Graham Park interviews Member for Gympie Anthony Perrett.

This is your opportunity to learn more about the concerns in your electorate and how your candidate plans to make improvements.

Tune in and MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT!

We have a very real chance at voting out the ALP in Queensland’s state election (set for October 31) – and we need every single one of you reading this to help make it happen.

A story in The Australian on July 31st – “Popular Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk but poll party postponed” (paywalled)” – notes a Newspoll survey is putting the LNP on track for a very narrow win at the election.

As per the story: “On Newspoll’s numbers, only six Labor seats would fall to the conservatives, leaving them to stitch together a minority administration with Katter’s Australian Party, independents and possibly One Nation.”

Getting Labor out of Government is the first step to ensuring our rights are respected and that the political assaults on the most law-abiding sector of the community cease.

VOTE LABOR LAST. Put them below The Greens. Put them below the Animal Rights Party. Put them below the independent candidate you’ve never heard of before.

Vote One for a Pro-shooting party like Katter’s Australian Party (KAP) or Pauline Hanson’s One Nation (PHON). If you want to vote for a Major, vote LNP.

Whatever you do: VOTE LABOR LAST.

The ALP government hates you and does not trust you – look at what they have done to us this year alone:

• Without warning, the ALP closed every gun shop in Queensland because of baseless and unfounded concerns about domestic violence and suicide. They have never acknowledged they were wrong, they have never apologised for the financial devastation they caused, they have utterly refused to engage with anyone on the subject.
• The ALP used their parliamentary majority to ram through nonsensical amendments to the Weapons Act, banning or restricting Gel Blasters – changes which will take your children’s birthday and Christmas presents away.
• The changes will decimate the Gel Blaster industry, driving hundreds of small business owners and employees out of business during the worst pandemic in more than a century.
• The ALP ignored more than 10,000 signatures on a petition calling for them not to do restrict Gel Blasters. They ignored the united voices of Katter’s Australia Party, Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party and the LNP in telling them not to do it AND voting against it.

Time and time again, the ALP has demonstrated nothing but contempt for Queensland’s law-abiding shooters.

We hoped they got the message after the successful Flick’Em campaign at the last election (which resulted in the lowest major party primary vote in Queensland history), but clearly they weren’t listening, or arrogantly assumed we’d forget.

WRONG.

There are 200,000 licensed shooters in Queensland and we all have friends and family. The ALP’s hatred of law-abiding shooters is a matter of public record and every single one of us needs to take a stand.

They won’t listen to us anywhere except at the ballot box.

Make them pay for their arrogance, hatred, discrimination and hoplophobia.

VOTE LABOR LAST IN THE QUEENSLAND STATE ELECTIONS

Authorised by J Linsley, 61 Arthur Street Dalby QLD 4405, for Shooters Union Australia.

THE Queensland Government’s spiteful war on struggling businesses must end today, according to one of the country’s peak lobby groups.

In March, the state’s Chief Health Officer issued an order closing every gun shop and armourer in the state as part of the COVID-19 response. Following intense pressure and from industry, agricultural and rural representatives, that was amended a few days later to allow rural landowners and volunteer pest controllers to buy ammunition and reloading components, but still
prevented target shooters, recreational hunters, and competition pistol shooters from buying ammunition or using police-issued Permits To Acquire for firearms.

Shooters Union Australia president Graham Park said with the notoriously anti-gun Western Australia now having lifted their trade restrictions and Victoria – also helmed by a Labor premier – having followed soon after, Queensland had no excuse to keep preventing licensed shooters
from buying ammunition or vital equipment.

“There is no – I repeat: absolutely none whatsoever – public health emergency justification for restricting the trade of licensed gun shops and armourers in Queensland or anywhere else, for that matter. There wasn’t one at the start of this mess and there isn’t one now,” he said.

“It is obviously a political move; only the Labor state governments restricted gun shop trading.

The decision was not an outcome of the formal National Cabinet meetings, from what we understand.

“The home confinement directions have largely been lifted, outdoor shooting ranges are open again while exercising social distancing, and non-essential retail shopping is expressly permitted so why are Queensland’s shooters and associated businesses being punished?”

The toll on affected businesses from the trade restrictions was enormous, Mr Park said, with a number of gun shops facing financial ruin from having their livelihoods yanked out underneath them without any justification.

“These were viable local businesses, an important part of their community, and shut down because someone in Brisbane doesn’t like guns and decided to take advantage of a crisis to further their own agenda,” he said.

“Every hour Queensland’s gun shops and armourers remain restricted in trade just adds to the mountain of proof this decision has been made to hurt law-abiding firearms owners and the businesses supporting them.”

Mr Park blasted the State Government’s refusal to justify themselves on the restrictions and said they needed to be held to account.

“We have not received a single response to any of the numerous letters and e-mails we have sent the Premier, and the only response we have received from the Chief Health Officer’s office was clearly written by a staffer and reiterated the changes allowing rural landowners and volunteer pest controllers to buy ammunition – changes we helped negotiate in the first place.

“The contempt the Palaszczuk Government has shown to Queensland’s law-abiding shooting community is simply incredible.

“They haven’t even given us the courtesy of an obvious and half-baked lie as to why they’ve done it – we’ve heard absolutely nothing.

“We guarantee there will be consequences at the ballot box in October for the way Queensland shooters have been treated by the ALP. We’re going to make sure of it.”

CONTACT DETAILS:
President Graham Park: president@shootersunion.com.au or 0418 700 320
Media director Royce Wilson: media@shootersunion.com.au or 0410 645 035

The Hon. Mark Ryan MP
Queensland Police Minister
Via e-mail to police@ministerial.qld.gov.au

April 20, 2020

Dear Mr Ryan,
We note your April 16, 2020 dated response to Petition 3282-20, in which you reject the plea of the petitioners to reclassify firearm sound suppressors (“silencers”) from Category R to Category A under the Weapons Categories Regulation 1997.

We are concerned you have not given the matter genuine consideration and have not addressed the issue raised in the petition. Your response mentions the Port Arthur tragedy, yet suppressors were not used in that incident and we remain baffled as to why you would even bring it up in this context.

There is no such thing as “a permanently inoperable silencer”. If a suppressor/silencer is rendered inoperable, it is no longer a device capable of suppressing the sound of a gunshot and is, per the legislation, therefore not a Category R weapon.

Your response states “Queensland remains committed to the spirit of the National Firearms Agreement. Therefore, in the interests of safety, I can advise that there is no intention to remove silencers from Category R weapons at this time.”

Mr Ryan, suppressors are safety equipment. There is a mountain of evidence on the subject – evidence we would be only too happy to direct you towards, had you or one of your staff asked.

Suppressors do not totally silence gunshots. They bring the noise down from 130dB to around 90-100dB, which is still very loud, but will not cause immediate hearing damage to the firer, startle pest animals some distance away, or keep the residents of neighbouring farms awake at night.

The gunshot is still clearly audible, but it is not deafening.

We also note suppressors or silencers are not covered in the National Firearms Agreement (which is not legislation anyway) and that a number of states – including New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria – make suppressors available to licensed firearms users for occupational purposes such as pest control or agricultural reasons.

There is absolutely no valid reason – none whatsoever – that the same could not be true of Queensland. Call of Duty video games and secret agent movies are not a sound basis for making legislative decisions, and frankly we are all tired of having something that happened nearly 25 years ago constantly being used as a mantra-like parroted justification to refuse matters like those raised in the petition.

We appreciate the Labor party apparently does not like guns, especially in the hands of hunters and sporting shooters, but please do not insult our intelligence by dismissing sensible firearm issues being raised by constituents – who can back their requests with facts and evidence – with trite responses that sound like one of your staffers did a quick Google search at 4pm on a Friday and didn’t understand or agree with what they saw.

Dismissive and irrelevant responses like that provided to this petition undermine Queenslanders’ already shaky confidence in parliamentary petitions, which have an extremely short track record of achieving legislative change this century as it is.

To say we are disappointed in your response to this matter is an understatement. There is an election in October and Queensland’s 200,000 licensed firearms users expect better from their elected representatives.

Yours sincerely,

Graham Park
President, Shooters Union Australia
E: president@shootersunion.com.au | Ph: 0418 700 320