Bigg steps up as pro-gun candidate in upcoming Tasmanian election

Tasmanians will have at least one pro-gun candidate to vote for when they head back to the polls for the second time in 18 months on Saturday, 19 July following a successful no-confidence motion in parliament on Premier Jeremy Rockcliff.

Phillip Bigg, who is also the Shooters Union Tasmania president and a former Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate, will run as an independent candidate for the seat of Lyons.

“As a keen hunter and shooter, I am unhappy at the lack of conversation around issues affecting responsible firearms users in Tasmania,” he said.

Phillip said there were some serious problems with the firearms legislation in Tasmania that needed to be definitively fixed, instead of being waved away or put on the back burner.

“I will introduce legislation to fix legislative problems that the Liberals promised to fix by the end of 2024, including the antique firearms debacle, the potential for licensed shooters to be deemed traffickers of firearms if they are borrowing someone else’s gun, and returning power for matters in the legislation back to the Police Minister instead of the unelected Police Commissioner,” he said.

“It should go without saying that getting suppressors legalised for all shooters is a high priority for me as well.

“To support our tourism sector and rural communities, I will also push for recognising international firearms licences when visiting Tasmania.”

Also on his list of issues to tackle was keeping firearms licence application questions relevant and focussed on genuine public safety, and expanding hunting and pest control opportunities for shooters in state forests.

“Shooters and hunters have an important role to play in pest management in Tasmania’s world-renowned wilderness, and this idea that the only way to look after our environment is to lock it up and not let anyone in it is misguided and harmful,” he said.

Phillip said his focus was on ensuring responsible firearms users in Tasmania were treated properly by the government, and that the state’s laws reflected facts and evidence rather than being based on the feelings of people who hated guns.

“I want to make sure Tasmanian shooters finally have true representation in Parliament and stop unjust attacks on responsible firearms users based on things criminals do,” he said.