This year’s Victorian State Election: why the outcome matters to you
The damage they could do would be significant. Duck, deer, and other forms of hunting would be under threat. The creation of a “Great Forest National Park” could limit your ability to go hunting.
Owning a handgun would become a thing of the past – and you can forget about owning a rifle scope. Or keeping your antiques.
The Greens: the enemy to beat
If the Greens got their way, you will need a psychiatrist’s certificate to keep your licence – and be taxed $1,500 a year.
A few months ago, The Age ran a story where it quoted one of their then leader, Greg Barber, who said:
“At the next state election in 2018, we can win balance of power in the lower house, in fact we are only a few thousand votes short of that aim,”
The problem is, Barber’s right.
In Victoria, the Greens have five MPs in the upper house and three in the lower house. There are at least another three other lower house seats within their reach. Imagine that: if they had five MPs in each house of parliament. The problem with this isn’t just about the Greens: it’s the temptation of the major parties to cut deals with them to form and hold government. If we sit idly by, lwe’ll become the fodder offered to keep them happy.
It’s not a threat we face for just the next four years: it’s a threat we face for the next 20.
They are very effective
The Greens have shown what they can do. They’ve already secured millions of your dollars to deal with climate change issues, policies which have put significant pressure on the timber industry among others.
Further restricting gun ownership is simply another notch they need to get in their belt.
What we can do about it
As many of you know, the CFCV is the political umbrella for 7 of Victoria’s major shooting organisations.
We run election campaigns to ensure the favour is returned in exchange with political support from the major parties.
We saw what this can do. In the mid 2000s, we had a number of wins, including funding for range upgrades, the continuation of duck hunting and establishment of the Firearms Consultative Committee and a couple of other initiatives which were funded.
Recent attacks on shooters – namely, the move to reclassify our lever-action shotguns and slap ‘Firearm Prohibition Orders’ on anyone the police don’t like – combined with the rising Green vote, means we’ll be doing everything we can to make sure we end up winners out of this year’s Victorian State Election, rather than losers.
What we’ll do
We know you care about your ability to go shooting, and we have already shown you what can be achieved.
2018 is a year of threat and opportunity. That’s why its important that you have the right information when you vote at this year’s state election, so you know who is and is not safe to vote for.
We’ll not only look at the candidates, but where their preferences flow. Importantly we do the number crunching for you. If we can have a meaningful impact at the ballot box in a small number of key seats, then hopefully the majors will leave us alone, no matter what the Greens might want. This is going to be an arm wrestle, with a lot at stake
So if the thought of having the Greens control one or both houses of parliament – and what they can do to us – scares you, then make sure you vote properly.
Make sure your mates do as well – because if they don’t, their vote could put what you love to do, at risk.
Knowing who to vote for is easy to find out
Make sure you get behind the CFCV by following us online, or joining our email list by clicking here. Then get a mate to join up as well.
That way both of you will receive our voting advice in the lead up to November’s state election.