SSAA NSW

From Diana's Desk Here we are again, in December at the end of yet another busy year, and it gives us an opportunity to look back at what has happened over the past 12 months, and think about what's ahead for us in 2014. team at Goulburn for organising this day to promote our great sport. May January SSAA NSW announced an ambitious plan to reach 50,000 members in 2013 and 60,000 by the end of 2014. SSAA National also kicked off their 'Year of the Hunter' campaign across all States. February The SSAA NSW Shotgun team travelled to New Zealand to compete in the New Zealand Sporting Clay Championships with the team coming away with a 3rd place. Locally, SSAA NSW Coffs Harbour Branch hosted another successful Bananacoast IRB Championships. The NSW Government imposed restrictive and completely unnecessary changes to the way licensed, law abiding firearm owners can purchase ammunition in NSW – giving firearms dealers only eleven days to comply with new laws. The many letters and visits to local MPs by SSAA members certainly had an impact and we ended up with a modified, albeit still unnecessary, new law. SSAA NSW continues to oppose these laws in our meetings with politicians from all parties around the State. March The Mobile Air Rifle Range headed to Griffith and the Riverina Field Days. With a team from SSAA NSW in attendance more than 400 people, including a good number of juniors, came to try shooting – many for the first time. Thank you to the members of SSAA NSW Griffith & SSAA NSW Hay Branches who helped out over the two days. The SSAA NSW AGM was also held in May and saw overwhelming support for the new State and Branch Constitutions which were adopted and endorsed. A number of Branches have already adopted their new Constitution with many more intending to do so at their upcoming 2014 AGMs. SSAA NSW President Paul McNabb and Don Chesworth from SSAA NSW Northern Rivers Branch were awarded State Life Memberships. June SSAA NSW headed south for the inaugural HuntFest exhibition which was held in Narooma over the long weekend. This event was also supported by SSAA NSW Sydney Branch and SSAA NSW Batemans Bay Branch. SSAA NSW is already making plans for HuntFest 2014. The SSAA NSW website featured a week long focus on women in shooting which was well received and SSAA NSW Illawarra Branch pitched in to help out with Clean Up Australia Day activities in their local area. SSAA NSW attended the SSAA National Hunters Workshop where we were updated on and discussed various issues affecting hunting in Australia and we also took the opportunity to interact with our counterparts from other States. April July SSAA NSW lodged their submission with the NSW Government for the review of the Firearms Regulation 2006. Throughout the year we were advised that the Government discussion paper on the review would be circulated to the members of the Firearms Consultative Committee, but to date there's been nothing forthcoming. SSAA NSW will continue to work as part of the Committee to see the review finalised. The Mobile Air Rifle Range headed to Wagga Wagga in July. After much negotiation with the local council we were able to set the Range up in a local park in a prominent city location which proved very successful. After 2 days in the park, SSAA NSW Wagga Branch hosted a Try Shooting Day at their fantastic facility. Sadly, it was one of the last events held at the range – more on that a little later. SSAA NSW Goulburn Branch were the first Branch to take advantage of new and improved funding for Branches who wish to hold a local Try Shooting Day with a number of people coming along to try the sport for the first time. A big thankyou to Ken Kenchington and his In more bad news for shooters, the NSW Government announced the disbanding of the Game Council and immediate suspension of all hunting on public land in NSW. This caused much angst among our members, and SSAA NSW immediately began meeting with MPs and Ministers. Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 4

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