Our Purpose
To be the leading national advocate in support of the legitimate use of firearms for sporting, recreational, and occupational purposes in Australia.
We exist to support all legitimate users of firearms, whether for sporting, recreational or occupational purposes, by advocating for sensible firearms regulation, the provision of education about firearms, and supporting shooters seeking to vindicate their rights through political and legal processes.
Our Key Messages:
Safety
- More guns on the black market threaten the safety of children, the police force and the general public.
- Our goal is to increase gun safety by introducing tougher penalties surrounding gun theft and making gun laws more effective.
- Penalties for gun theft should be harsher to minimise gun theft, and therefore decrease the number of guns on the black market.
Education
- Gun owners that are properly trained and licensed present no threat to the safety of the community.
- Education is the key to improving gun safety in Australia.
- Legislation changes need to be informed by research and proven outcomes, rather than knee-jerk emotional reactions.
Regulation
- Effective gun regulation will keep our country and citizens safer.
- Current rules surrounding safe storage and inspections need review and improvement. Inspections are costly to undertake for a police force that is already stretched to its limits.
- We fully support thorough background checks prior to licenses being issued.
Anti-stigmatisation
- SUA represents the rights of legitimate gun owners who use guns for legitimate purposes, including sports and farming.
- Those who use guns for legitimate purposes should not be grouped with those who use them illegally or for destructive purposes.
- Law-abiding firearms owners are not only one type of person – plenty of farmers, doctors, lawyers and other professionals are interested in owning and operating firearms.
Legislation
- Current legislation is antiquated and does not support responsible firearm ownership.
- Current gun laws were written in great haste. They are poorly thought through, badly drafted, and not evidenced-based. As a result they do not serve the interests of public safety.
- SUA is not looking to relax gun laws – our aim is to make them more targeted, relevant and updated for the modern time.
- The current red tape surrounding gun ownership is costly and does nothing to prevent the illegal use of firearms