In a move informed by prejudice and arefusal to consider hard facts, the O’Farrell government has rejectedthe recommendations of a study supporting the introduction of soundmoderators on sporting arms conducted by Edith Cowan Universityrecently. The study, commissioned by the NSW Game Council, wasassiduously researched and objective in its findings, based onoverseas experiences and Australian-based scientific research.
Readers need to know that most Europeancountries, the UK, New Zealand and many US states permit, encourageand even mandate the use of moderators to facilitate more effectivepest control and user safety, a fact that the Herald article,appearing below, conveniently omits to mention.
Our own government, unfortunately, seemto take on board the shrill misinformation pushed by Greens and otherantis who would like to see no guns whatsoever in private ownership.
Note that Robert Borsak, NSW Shootersand Fishers Party MP is upholding shooters’ entitlements to work andrecreate in as safe an environment as possible.
Marcus O’Dean
Editor
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“Government shoots down proposal toallow hunters gun silencers
Josephine Tovey State Politics
October 10, 2011 Sydney MorningHerald
THE O’Farrell government has rejected acall from the Shooters and Fishers Party to allow silencers or soundmoderators on firearms in NSW, saying they have no place in thecommunity.
The Shooters who, along with theChristian Democrats, share the balance of power in the upper house,had asked the government to consider changes to the law to allowlicensed shooters and hunters to use sound moderators on their guns.
A new report commissioned by the NSWGame Council backs the party’s proposal, stating that the devices areno more harmful than car mufflers and would deliver severalsignificant benefits including preventing hearing damage for shootersand reducing recoil and noise pollution.
The report, An investigation into theuse of sound moderators on firearms for game and feral animalmanagement in NSW, acknowledges there is likely to be communityopposition to the move because of the perception of sound moderatorsas ”demonic devices worthy of fictionalisation andcriminalisation”.
”A sound moderator does not appear tobe a device which of itself can cause harm or injury,” the reportstates.
”This would imply they are similar inprinciple and no more or less benign than a motor vehicle muffler.”
The chief investigator on the report,Martin MacCarthy of Edith Cowan University, is a member of two gunclubs.
The Shooters MP Robert Borsak saidthere was a misconception about the devices as being used to silenceguns for ”criminals and secret agents”.
”The government should look at ourproposal to them seriously and think of the conservation benefits andthe occupational health and safety benefits, and put asideill-founded prejudices,” he said.
But a spokeswoman for the PoliceMinister, Mike Gallacher, said: ”The NSW government rejectsabsolutely any suggestion that moderators or silencers have any placein the community … Currently, legitimate commercial feral animaland pest control professionals can acquire a moderator only with theapproval of the Police Commissioner. Changes to this regime have beenmooted in a private member’s bill currently before the Parliament,and will be opposed by the NSW government.”
The introduction of sound moderators isalso strongly opposed by the National Coalition for Gun Control andthe NSW Greens.
The Greens MP Jamie Parker said theirintroduction could pose a risk to the public and cause undue stress.
”Currently, the sound of weapons beingfired at least alerts people to the fact that they are sharing theforest with hunters and that they should tread carefully,” he said.
A spokesman for the Game Council saidthe report will be submitted to the Game Council’s Research Committeeand Full Council meeting in December for consideration.
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