By SIFA calls on the Albanese government to practice what it preaches.
The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia is calling for the Albanese Government and its policy makers to follow its own rules, and immediately enter into genuine consultation with the Australian shooting industry around proposals for a national firearms register.
The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has released its Guide to Policy Impact Analysis, which “is intended to inform Australian Public Service policy making, ensuring that advice to government is accompanied by robust analysis, data, and an accurate overview of the effects of proposed policies on our community”.
The guide lists 6 key principles for Australian government policy makers which includes:
- Policy makers should consult in a genuine and timely way with affected businesses, community organisations and individuals, as well as other stakeholders, to ensure proposed changes deliver the best possible outcomes for Australia.
- The information upon which policy makers base their decisions must be published at the earliest opportunity.
Following the announcement from the Prime Minister that National Cabinet had agreed terms for a national firearms register, the Australian shooting industry has repeatedly attempted to engage with the government and associated bureaucracy.
However, in total disregard of the government’s own principles, the industry has been locked out, with no genuine consultation being offered, raising the alarm that no consideration is being given to the potential impacts that firearm policy changes will have on Australia’s $2.4B+ shooting Industry.
James Walsh, CEO of the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia said “SIFA is a well-regarded peak industry association that has been at the forefront of both government policy consultation and public debate on matters affecting the Australian shooting industry for close to a decade. It is deeply concerning that the Albanese government is completely ignoring calls for consultation and leaving us in the dark”.
Any changes to firearms policy in Australia has the potential to greatly affect the Australian shooting industry and the hundreds of small businesses around Australia that are an integral part of Australia’s economic landscape, and contribute over 19,500 jobs across the nation.
“By failing to consult with Australian shooting industry stakeholders, the government is depriving itself of expert industry advice and real-world feedback on how the industry operates. They are also in direct contravention of the principles espoused by the Prime Ministers own department”. Mr Walsh said.
Australia has a history of implementing poor firearms policy as a result of not consulting with industry experts and stakeholders, leaving the Australian shooting industry concerned that we are about to see a repeat the same mistakes that have been made in the past.
SIFA has previously called into question the need for a national firearms register given that it is well publicised that what the government is calling for already exists in the form of the Australian Firearms Information Network, which has already received a significant amount of taxpayer funding over the last decade.
