National Party gone silent over Liberal gun ban

KAP Leader and Federal Member for Kennedy Bob Katter has tabled a motion in the House of Representatives that will force National Party members to vote on the Government’s recent executive action which would have banned the importation of the Adler A110 shotgun.

The Customs (Prohibited Imports) Amendment (Firearms and Firearm Magazines) Regulation 2015 seeks to prohibit the importation of any lever action shotgun fitted with a firearm magazine having a capacity of more than 5 rounds.

The Adler A110 shotgun gained publicity last month over its ability to shoot eight shots in eight seconds using a lever-action mechanism. Farmers and graziers, typically the National Party’s core voting base, had pushed for a faster action shotgun capable of targeting pests like pigs and rabbits whilst still ensuring safety when used on farm transportation.

“Once again there had been thundering silence from the National Party on this issue,” Mr Katter said today.

“This move by the Government demonstrates the obsessive extremism of the gun lobbying factions and their need to prove something to the militant ratbag element.

“There are some real issues here, insofar as the so called National Parks are massive breeding grounds for pigs and rabbits. Both are very destructive by their nature and badly need to be eliminated.

“They take out the roots which hold the ground together and result in massive erosion problems, whereas animals like kangaroos and cows eat the grass and leave the roots in tact to grow more grass.

“I’ve never been entirely comfortable with baiting programs and trapping is of limited effect and very costly.

“But a shotgun is highly effective in targeting these pests. Picking up a rabbit with a rifle is challenging, pigs invariably run in mobs of a dozen or more, so some quick repetitive fire action is needed.”

Adler shotgun importer Rob Nioa

Mr Katter also took aim at the Government, saying that there had been no consultation before the introduction of the Regulation that would see faster action shotguns banned.

“There has been a consultation council in place for the last 15 years to consider changes to the regulations, consisting of police, representatives of agriculture and other interested parties – yet that didn’t happen here.

“From the Magna Carta to the Declaration of Independence, these documents incorporated the concept that the power lies with the individual and not the State.

“It’s a very sad state of affairs when anyone who wants to go hunting, camping, fishing or shooting has to look over their shoulder for the men in uniforms.

“And there’s something terribly wrong with a country when the only people left allowed to have firearms are the men in uniforms,” Mr Katter said.

FN. For the purposes of transparency, NIOA is the proposed importer of the Adler shotgun and Rob Nioa is Mr Katter’s son in law. Mr Katter has however been the strongest of gun advocates long before his relationship with Mr Nioa.