SFFP set to vote on laws which help our enemies
That’s nearly $900,000 per Green MP – the highest funding per MP of any party.
That’s bad news for us because it’ll improve their chances of getting what they want – which is a complete ban on duck hunting and probably more.
The vote could happen as early as this coming Tuesday, so your urgent action is needed.
The other thing the new laws will do is to severely limit the ability of community organisations – such as shooting clubs and associations – to provide voting recommendations and donate to political causes.
It means that organisations like Field & Game, VAPA, TRV, VRA, the collectors guild, ADA, SIFA and so on, will be able to donate no more than $4,000 to a political party in any 4 year election cycle. Not only that, but the new laws will force them to provide financial reports to the Victorian Electoral Commission.
They will also prohibit, in some circumstances, your right to make donations anonymously.
The punishment for trying to work around the laws is 10 years jail.
In return for these restrictions on donations, the major political parties will receive significantly increased electoral funding out of your pockets – to $6 per vote in the lower house (more than triple what they get now) and $3 in the upper house – and receive significantly more funding for ‘administrative expenses’, of $40,000 per year, per MP.
The new laws will also allow funding to be received under both the current and new funding arrangements – effectively dipping into two funding models.
This is a $60 million cash grab by our politicians which could be going into more ranges and pro-shooting programs, but will instead be going into their pockets.
Who supports this?
The bill was introduced by Labor, so clearly they will vote for it.
So will the Greens, because they can see dollar signs in front of them.
The coalition however, does not. Nor does Rachel Carling-Jenkins or James Purcell.
In late June, the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers Party were set to vote against the bill, which would have killed it off.
In fact Daniel Young told The Age that the donations bill would severely disadvantage minor parties.
He said I can’t comprehend why any crossbenchers would support it”. The bill was dead.
A change of mind
Yet only a couple of days later, they seemed to change their mind. The Age reported that Jeff Bourman “has now flagged his party’s likely support for the bill”. The Herald Sun also suggested the SFFP would now vote for the legislation after reaching “a deal between Labor and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party”.
Why?
Why would the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party support a bill that would reward our enemies and make life harder for shooting organisations?
Why would they support any measure which would cut the right of shooters to donate, and make voting recommendations?
Why would they support laws which impose new electoral reporting burdens on the shooting industry?
The Herald Sun has suggested it is because of an increase in the administrative funding the SFFP will receive. It has jumped from $40,000 per year per to a massive $250,000 for their first MP.
The payments will commence on 1 August, nearly four months before the election.
Even if the SFFP don’t get anyone re-elected, they will still walk away with money in their pocket.
A boon for the Greens
Before the SFFP changed it’s mind, the Herald Sun said: “[Daniel] Young said it would be a massive boon for the Greens, especially if the Left-wing party ran in more seats to get more public funding”
Daniel was right. The Greens have 7 MPs in state parliament, and with the extra money could easily hold the balance of power. If they get that, then duck hunting will go. Handguns too.
The Greens will be a much happier and richer party than they are now –thanks to two shooters who took the bait.
But wait … there’s more…
If that isn’t bad enough, the new laws will also provide ‘policy development’ funding for political parties who currently don’t get electoral funding.
It means the Animal Justice Party will get an additional $263,000, and Socialist Alliance around $100,000 – which you can bet won’t be going to help you and I go shooting.
Jeff’s and Daniel’s votes will determine what happens to gun owners in 2019.
While the SFFP’s support for the bill is disappointing, we do acknowledge and appreciate that they will look at an amendment to raise the donation limit for community organisations to $50,000, an amount which would still allow shooting organisations to have their say.
One minute to midnight
If you’re a member of the SFFP you need to make it clear to Jeff that he and Daniel need to put the interests of shooters ahead of their own.
However you need to tell them to reject any idea of passing laws which help the Greens and Animal Justice Party, because that’s simply unacceptable.
Click here to send an email to Jeff (Jeff.Bourman@parliament.vic.gov.au) or post something on the SFFP’s Facebook page by clicking here (facebook.com/SFPVIC).
The vote could be as early as this coming Tuesday, July 24th
– so we urge you to do this without delay!