Reports that NSW Labor Premier Chris Minns plans to ban “belt-fed shotguns” and put low single-digit limits on how many guns a licensed shooter can own suggest he is legislating from anger and ignorance
It is abundantly clear that the proposed changes were being driven purely for political points and not because of any serious failings of the existing laws.
There is no such thing as a belt-fed shotgun outside video games and movies, and the fact the NSW Premier is making policy statements without even taking a few moments to Google the thing he proposes to ban tells us he is not operating in good faith or with any interest in facts, evidence or any regard for fundamental democratic principles.
The entire country is shocked and horrified by the Bondi terror attacks, but this kind of emotional, anger-driven response is not the way to address the very serious policy and intelligence failings that led to the attack in the first place.
What’s particularly concerning is, as far as we are aware, there has been no consultation with anyone in the firearms industry regarding any of this.
Anyone with even the most basic understanding of the shooting sports or agriculture will tell you why these proposals to place tiny limits on how many guns someone can own are flawed and not based on logic or facts.
They will also tell you there is no such thing as a belt-fed shotgun on the civilian market.
The reported restrictions on firearms ownership in NSW will essentially torch the economy of regional and rural NSW.
NSW Labor should remember that – according to the NSW Department of Primary Industries – hunting is worth more than $500 million to the NSW economy, as is a more significant part of that economy than the entire wool industry.
It would be insanity to torch that out of an irrational hatred of sporting gear and farming equipment. It would be indescribably devastating to rural NSW, and the fact it is reportedly even being considered shows just how out of touch with regional and rural NSW the Minns Government and the NSW Greens are.
There’s also the very serious damage it would indirectly cause to the environment. In 2024 alone, licensed hunters – regular Australians with gun licences and hunting permits – culled nearly 1.7 million feral pigs in NSW.
Without their efforts, NSW’s agricultural land and state forests would suffer potentially irreversible damage from the resulting explosion of feral animals numbers.
It’s not too late for Mr Minns, NSW Labor and every other MP in NSW to sit down over the weekend and seriously reconsider their approach to this whole issue.
It is too important a matter to rush or legislate from a place of ignorance, anger, or frustration.
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