SSAA NSW

Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. 5 There was little change in responses between 2014 and 2015. The top response by QSPCVs when asked 'What, if anything, do you think could be improved?' was 'Nothing' or a positive comment on the Program. This was followed by a desire to see night shooting included in the Program, improvements with equipment, and communication prior to the operation. In a comparison of the fi rst two years of the Program the percentage of QSPCVs who think no improvements are needed has more than doubled, and issues with equipment has halved. There has also been an increase of QSPCVs who questioned the selection of NPWS reserves chosen for the trial. The desire for night shooting remained the same throughout the trial. In addition to the surveys, meetings with NPWS and SSAA NSW, attendance at operations as well as Information Sessions and Induction Days, NRC is hosting a mid-trial meeting which will include participants from NRC, NPWS, SSAA NSW and QSPCVs. An excellent initiative enabling all those involved in the various aspects of the Program an opportunity to interact with NRC directly. SSAA NSW is also providing input and offering avenues for those members involved in the trial to have ample opportunity to provide feedback. After each operation QSPCVs are requested to complete a survey which is also shared with NRC and NPWS. Earlier this year we held a QSPCV workshop which was well attended and for which we received good positive feedback. We'll again be holding QSPCVs workshops in both Sydney and regional areas in early 2016. At the moment, we're undertaking a mid-trial participation survey which gives QSPCVs the opportunity to provide feedback on various aspects of the trial to date. Results of this survey will be published in a future edition of the NSW Shooter. It's really pleasing to see that our QSPCVs are taking advantage of these feedback opportunities and as a result, there have been a number of variations and adaptive changes made to the operational and administrative functions of the Program by both NPWS and SSAA NSW. Our QSPCVs have been fantastic ambassadors for not only themselves, but SSAA NSW, the SPC Program and hunters generally. SSAA NSW, by participating in the SPC Program, aims to promote the value of volunteer hunters and the role they play in both the management of feral animals and protection of the environment as well as increasing community perception and acceptance of hunters. The efforts of our QSPCVs is defi nitely making a positive contribution to the achievement of these goals.

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