A disturbing new trend in South Australia
We have received worrying correspondence from a licenced shooter in South Australia that is of great concern.
The shooter in question, a family man of a young child with a disability, has recently been targeted by South Australian Police (SAPOL)’s firearm branch in a mirror of tactics used by Western Australian police – “high performance calibres”
Without divulging too much information, a very expensive firearm was seized and ‘de-registered’ by SAPOL’s firearm branch WITHOUT compensation. The shooter, who regular shoots long distance competitions (including The King of Two Mile shoot), has owned this firearm for two years with no issue.
The shooter recently attempted to acquire a new barrel from an interstate dealer, in a new calibre. Under the Firearms Act 2015 (SA), he would have 7 days to notify the registry of a change of calibre. The shooter was not afforded this time, and the barrel was seized in the mail enroute to him. SAPOL then attended the shooters house a number of times, and seized the firearm, accessories AND his mobile phone from him, stating that its calibre was prohibited in South Australia.
In fact, the shooter had recieved written correspondence that he could use certain ranges approved for those calibres. The shooter also has access to huge areas of rural land that he has permission to shoot on. At no point in the Firearms Act 2015 (SA) does it mention a list of prohibited calibres. The shooter was NOT charged by SAPOL. To make matters worse, SAPOL have imposed several restrictions on the shooters firearm licence, including banning him from owning any of the calibres listed below:
For someone into long range and extreme distance target shooting, this a death knell for this shooters preferred hobby.
SAPOL have, in our view, acted unfairly towards the shooter. The shooter is engaging with legal counsel, and we can confirm that he intends to fight this in court. We are supporting the shooter, and will be writing to key ministers and SAPOL’s Chief Commissioner about the matter.
There is a worrying rot happening in South Australian Police’s Firearm Branch. We will work to assist people unfairly targeted by these draconian decisions.
With what’s going on in Melbourne, police have shown their true colors. Australians don’t have many rights under the Australian constitution. The idea that states get locked down or you can’t go overseas is against Section 117 of the constitution. The police make it obvious they don’t really like people owning firearms. I don’t even know why (from their point of view) why they give any Australian citizen a firearm’s license at all. I’ve been on this site for a number of years, and time and time again, the police, no matter what state, are obsessed with power and control and “to hell with the common people.” If they could, they would take this site down and make up some phony excuse, come to your door with a thick Australian accent, look grumpy and intolerant…and accuse you of being “bad.”
Everyone came down hard on firearm owners in 1996. Now everyone is getting the treatment. If you want to leave the country, you need a “reasonable excuse,” just like if you want to own a firearm! Wow! Great country isn’t it?! I heard on the radio last week that 80% of Queenslanders APPROVE of the lockdown in that state! Go figure! No wonder the firearm laws are like the way they are! I thought Queenslanders were more down-to-earth people, but all the toughness has been beaten out of them it seems….