A recently formed group representing Western Australia's recreational shooters claims to have been snubbed by the Police Minister in discussing the State's gun reforms.
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The WA Firearms Community Alliance (WAFCA) established in May this year in response to the government's rewrite of the WA Firearms Act (1973), said a meeting secured with Police Minister Paul Papalia for June had been canceled "for the foreseeable future" following the resignation of Premier Mark McGowan.
Representing groups including the Sporting Shooters Associations of Western Australia (SSAAWA), WA Firearms Traders Association, Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) WA, West Australian Rifle Association, West Australian Pistol Association and the WA Clay Target Association, WAFCA's Facebook page state's that the organisation represents 85,000 of WA's law abiding firearm owners.
WAFCA spokesperson Paul Fitzgerald labeled correspondence with the Minister as "dismissive at best", saying the group had been instructed by his department's staff to liaise directly with the WA Police.
"WAFCA's member groups are committed to finding the balance between improving public safety through the Firearms Act rewrite and implementing the recommendations of the Law Reform Commission, that clearly states no greater burden should be placed on a law-abiding citizen to legally licence, use and possess a firearm " Mr Fitzgerald said.
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While the Police Minister refused to comment on the issue, he met with members of the Primary Producers Firearms Advisory Board on Wednesday.
The board was established by the government earlier this year to represent the interests of WA's farmers, growers and pastoralists as the government re-writes WA's Firearm Act.
The group is expected to meet with the Minister once a month until at least the end of the year.
