SSAA NSW

SSAA NSW was invited by the Police Minister to make a written submission concerning the issue. We worked with many other entities to advocate to Government and the Firearms Registry that this should be overturned. We also suggested that items subject to proper safe storage should only be rendered temporarily inoperable. I was pleased to receive a letter from Government recently, explaining that the regulation had been changed and now allowed the Police Commissioner to distribute exemptions. SSAA NSW was provided with an exemption for its important collection, which is a great win and we are thrilled to have contributed to such positive results with this campaign. Conservation and Wildlife Management We are working very closely with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service with the roll-out of the Supplementary Pest Control Program. Currently, we are also working with the Department of Primary Industries who I met recently and other stakeholders, exploring more conservation hunting opportunities. This is an important part of what we do, and our members generously contribute vital assistance in this field. Bequeaths and Donations SSAA NSW regularly receives donations of firearms for display in the museum, or for contribution to the Association's work. Should you, or someone you know, wish to donate or bequeath firearms to SSAA NSW, please get in touch. We would be more than happy to facilitate that process. Electronic Attendance System Rollout The new SSAA NSW electronic attendance system has been implemented in the majority of our ranges. This system records your attendance in real time with one easy swipe of your SSAA card and then prints you a receipt. This means no more handwritten slips or delays in processing attendances. Ninety (90) percent of all attendances are now electronic, which provides a better service for members. This saves the organisation a significant amount of money on data entry, which can then be re-allocated to member services. New Service – Update your Details to be Included We are trialling a new service, whereby an SMS or email will be sent to SSAA Members towards the end of the required reporting time. This message will notify you of any outstanding attendances you may have. This is of enormous benefit to our members, as the Firearms Registry will suspend licences of those who have failed to complete their attendances. To be included in this service, simply head to the SSAA Membership website at https://membership.ssaa.org.au/ forms/change and add your email and mobile number. It is a quick and easy process. If you do not have access to the internet, you can call and update your details with the friendly staff at SSAA National on (02) 8805 3900. Updating your details is of the utmost importance. Our new electronic attendance system, along with the SMS reminders, provides reliable data to you about your individual attendances so that we can help you avoid any licence suspension down the track. I continue to visit our Branches and ranges, having now attended 47 Branches and many ranges and Affiliate Clubs. I am always impressed with the level of dedication and professionalism of our volunteers and cannot thank you all enough for your work. Every Branch and Affiliate Club has a great story to tell, whether it be: • Sydney Branch's fantastic ladies Try Shooting program; • Illawarra Branch's successful Illawarra Outdoor and Adventure Expo (for which SSAA NSW has provided sponsorship and assistance) that introduces thousands of people to the sport; • Bateman's Bay Branch hosting of Junior Camp; or • Merriwa Branch's participation in the School Farm Safety Day. The list goes on and on and we say THANK YOU! Enjoy our Sport and Merry Christmas Even though we are very busy here at SSAA NSW, I remind our team every now and again that we need to find time to enjoy our sport. I enjoy taking our team to shoot at St Marys Indoor Shooting Centre when we can. Shooting at our outdoor ranges is also a real highlight and now that the warmer months are here, I encourage you to head to the outdoor ranges too. Additionally, I recently undertook Range Officer Training (alongside our Operations Manager) and was pleased to be presented with my RO card. I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Board and staff, to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, safe shooting and a happy New Year. As always, see you at the range or out in the field. Jai Rowell CEO and Executive Director - SSAA (NSW) Inc. Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 5

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