Print media fairy stories from lefties … are loose with the truth
Lenore Taylor’s opinion piece in the Guardian today is riddled with statements that give a really misleading presentation of historical facts, such as this statement that gives the impression the Martin Place Siege review recommended banning lever-action shotguns.
A review of gun laws ordered after the 2014 Lindt cafe siege in Sydney coincided with escalating warnings from gun control advocates about a new Adler shotgun that worked more like a self-loading one, even though technically it wasn’t.
The idea that the Review recommended banning levers has been promoted by many commentators and said as flat-out lie by some politicians. The Martin Place Siege Review did not recommend re-categorising lever-action shotguns. What the Martin Place siege review actually said (recommendation 6) was:
The Commonwealth, States and Territories should simplify the regulation of the legal firearms market through an update of the technical elements of the National Firearms Agreement.
“It’s the gun lobby bogey-man!”
At least Taylor credits Shooters Union for getting off their chair and doing something to oppose the proposed reclassification of lever-action shotguns that have been safely used in Australia for over a century:
The Shooters Union of Australia, an affiliate of the powerful US National Rifle Association, was deeply unhappy and sprang into action.
Unlike Gun Control Australia, which is three people and a half-eaten sandwich in a phone booth, Shooters Union represents thousands of members. There are around 200,000 licensed shooters in Queensland alone. The are about a million nationwide. As far as we can tell, Shooters Union has consistently advocated for the interests of shooters. But don’t worry, there’s a stab at One Nation too:
In Queensland, One Nation is polling 18% of the primary vote before a state election to be held by early next year. It promises to “stop making criminals out of licensed gun owners” with a 21-point plan. The very first point overturns the whole foundation of the national firearms agreement, that owning a gun is “a privilege that is conditional on the overriding need to ensure public safety”.
One Nation sees things the American way, saying Australia should “recognise that as a matter of principle, licensed firearm ownership by law-abiding citizens is a right in a free society”. Almost all the 21 points would weaken gun controls.
This is another misleading statement, linking One nation with complete second amendment rights (‘the American way’). One Nation has not advocated for anything remotely like the US second amendment. One Nation’s policy would loosen existing red tape by a small, but helpful, margin.
The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and other city papers are consistently anti-gun. In the last six months, they have devoted hundreds of articles and opinion pieces to spread lies and fabrications about how law-abiding, licensed firearm owners need to be further restricted with a view to banning all private firearms ownership.
Inner-city lefty commentators don’t accept the reality: a million voters oppose firearms red tape unnecessary regulation
The ballot box is starting to teach everyone a lesson. Bring on the Queensland election. And PUT LABOR LAST.
