We reported last week about the “Very Powerful Firearm” nonsense and the bureaucrats inside WAPOL Firearms Licensing that have decided to take the law into their own hands.
It now goes further than that, with WAPOL now actively trying to shut down Ella Valla Station and it’s Widji Bandi Sports Association, known for it’s .50 calibre shoots:
More from ABC North West:
“Last week, several members of the Ella Valla Station’s Widji Bandi shooting club had their 50 calibre rifles confiscated by police. Members of the sport shooting club, Widji Bandi Sports Association, say they’ve been unfairly targeted.
The members were ‘club approved’ license holders, which means they can own firearms because of they are part of a recreational shooting club. However, several club members recently received letters asking to provide information to show they’re compliant with their firearm license.
A WA Police Force Spokesperson said club members failed to provide that information, and their licenses were revoked, and firearms seized.
“The application and enforcement of firearm legislation is critical to keeping our community safe,” the spokesperson said. The spokesperson said it was not a general ban on 50-calibre firearms.”
Spare us the public safety and “not a general ban” garbage WAPOL, we know how those games are played. There’s absolutely no evidence that the firearms being used at Ella Valla prove a ‘public safety’ threat – where are all these armed hold-ups and murders being committed with .50 cals?
Great work from Ross Williamson:
“Lawyer Ross Williamson is representing the group, and he said clients didn’t have to provide that information, and it was unlawful to ask in the first place.
“The decision has already been made. The firearm license holder has already justified his reason for having it, and the police have accepted that. A short time later they are writing another letter saying, effectively, ‘please reapply’. The law doesn’t allow that.”
Mr Williamson is appealing the matter in the State Administrative Tribunal.
The WA Police Force is arguing the letters were part of a random license audit on club members.”
That sure looks ‘random’ to us – 4 members in the same club with the same calibre of firearm all being issued the same notice. ‘Random’ indeed.
Good work also from Liberal Democrats’ Aaron Stonehouse:
WAPOL is essentially trying to shut down a legal business because a few gutless bureaucrats have decided they want to further the civilian disarmament cause, by any means necessary. From what we’ve also learned it appears that this may be a personal crusade from some of the WAPOL ranks against Ella Valla.
Station owner Shane Aylmore has setup a legal defence fund and outlines the situation:
“It is no secret that the Western Australian Police Licensing Enforcement Division (WAPOL) have an intense disliking for firearms owners. Whilst there are laws that have been passed through parliament that allow firearms ownership under specific circumstances, WAPOL believe it is their mandate to try and prevent ownership altogether by interpreting the Firearms Act and Regulations in their own new and inventive ways. This approach has become far more acute in recent months with WAPOL making it their mission to prevent law abiding people from obtaining licenses for large calibre long range firearms (amongst others) or, if you have one already, they are also trying to get your existing firearm off you by revoking licenses, making illegal seizures, making frequent requisitions for information in which they are not legally entitled, and/or threatening you under sections of the Act that are not even applicable or relevant to you, your circumstances, or your licence conditions. They are the ones acting unlawfully and well beyond their powers and remit. Now, they see the easiest target is to attack the very venue which provides these shooters with the facility that their firearms can be safely used – the range at Ella Valla.
WAPOL’s strategy is quite clear to every shooter involved in these actions and that is WAPOL are abusing their position of power to make life as complicated as possible even in the complete absence of any complaint, an allegation of wronging, or suspicion of criminally activity. They use the strength of the Government’s cheque book with State funded lawyers to force as many sporting shooters as possible to either concede to their demands or be forced to spend their after-tax money to fight a fight started with resources funded by the taxes you paid. It’s a despicable misuse of public resources and it must be stopped. The only recourse to remedy WAPOL’s misuse of powers is to take matters to the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) or, if necessary or that fails, the Supreme Court.”
Absolutely spot on.
It’s this repeated kind of authoritarian garbage from Police towards firearm owners around Australia that is further driving a wedge into the community – there’s no need for it.
If you’d like to contribute to Ella Valla’s legal defence fund and tell WA Police where to go, you can contribute here – it’s already more than halfway to the target amount.
Remember, an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us and this incremental disarmament nonsense has to be stopped. WAPOL should stick to going after hardened criminals and illegal firearms, instead of being the local strong arm of the globalist civilian disarmament cause in WA.
If you haven’t chosen a line in the sand, Ella Valla has plenty you can draw one in.
People with a licence are NOT the ones committing offenses, its the ones who use buy guns from black market or steal them. Any person with a lincenced arm has a gun for recreational or work related purposes. Its EXTREMELY RARE a responsible licensed person with a firearm will use use it for criminal reasons. They have EARNED their right as a responsible person to own their firearm regardless of calibre. WA is the strictest state in Australia for gun holders. Sounds like police want range for themselves!!