NSW firearms dealers have been left in a trading limbo since the Minns Government tabled its new gun laws, which have been voted through but are still not in effect.
Firearm purchases have crashed as new ownership limits loom, restricting recreational hunters to only four firearms in total and others, such as competitors and primary producers, being limited to 10.
The situation was exacerbated when the NSW Police Firearms Registry shut down its PTA system over Christmas and well into the new year.
It has led to pleas from firearms dealers for people to continue to support the industry, especially smaller, more remote shops.
A number of dealer principals we’ve spoken to in NSW have expressed the same fear and frustration as their businesses have run into a virtual brick wall.
“Up until they actually took the new bill to parliament, business was flying along as per normal,” Shane Cusack, owner of Mudgee Firearms, said, “but literally the 23rd and 24th [of December], the business dropped off a cliff.
“Sales just pretty much stopped in the way of firearms. Normally, we’re selling guns on Christmas Eve, it is last-minute Christmas gifts and that sort of thing but it literally put paid to that.
“And then, of course, coming back in those days between Christmas and New Year, PTAs had been stopped.”
“Turnover was literally 25% of what it has been in the past.”
He says it’s vital gun shops be able to trade at a sustainable level, or NSW would risk losing many of the limited number of shops currently operating.
“My suggestion would be no matter where you live, support your local gun shop,” Shane said.
He said shops in regional area had smaller customer bases, which is an additional challenge.
“In this area there’s around 12,000 people locally; within the greater area about 25,000. We don’t have the customer bases of Sydney or the larger areas that have got millions of people.
“So if you’re in the country, support your small local shops and they’ll remain open. Otherwise the savings you get from going to those big shops in capital cities will be eaten up by the fact you’ve got to travel there all the time, because you won’t have a little shop to go to anymore because the doors will have to close.”
Overheads vary for different businesses, but they are not reduced when turnover drops away.
“Here, obviously, there’s a lot of mines around locally, and income is pretty high, and as a result, commercial rents are very high,” he said.
“And then on top of that, we’ve got our electricity and insurance, and that sort of thing. Insurance for the shop this year was 20 grand.
“Support your local shops and the doors will still be open.
“You’ll be able to duck down and grab that one box of ammo you need, not have to drive an hour and a half or more to get what you need.”
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