On my Way Downunder: Slow Blogging today and Tomorrow

In a few hours, I will be in the air, bound for Sydney, Australia. This is my third trip.

Australia offers a wealth of stories for a Gun Blogger.  In New South Wales, the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party looks as though it will be winning five or six seats in the State Parliament.

 If that happens, they will be in a balance of power position to have some of their legislative priorities enacted.

In the Parliamentary system in New South Wales, minor parties can be elected and have significant impact.

I expect they would chip away at the most extreme parts of NSW gun law.

For example, your guns can be confiscated and your gun license removed for life because one cartridge was found on the floor of your car or under a sofa in your house (unlocked).

They might act to remove the effective ban on using guns for self defense, with the penalty being the loss of your shooting license for life.

I hope to interview party leaders and members and get an idea of what they hope for.

The final election results will be known on April 12th.

I would love to see them pass a resolution to the effect that an Englishman's right to arms was made part of the Australian Constitution in 1901.  I can hope, but there is little chance of that.

I would like to see them make it a little easier for a U.S. citizen to be allowed to handle guns in Australia. I would gladly put up a $1,000 bond to show good faith in following their laws.

As it is, it is very difficult for anyone other than on a guided hunt under close supervision. That does not work well when you are staying in the country for months at a time.

I will be looking to observe some Australian hunters in action.

From my point of view, the laws in New South Wales were designed to be so onerous, as to gradually reduce the number of gun owners and shooters.

They have failed to do so. 

 ©2019 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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