April 15, 2020
Farmers excluded from gunshops under COVID-19 restrictions are claiming a victory after more changes have been made to a Queensland Health directive.
Initially, all licensed armourers and licensed dealers were declared a non-essential business on March 27, effectively closing them down.
After protests from the farming community and the LNP, this was relaxed on March 31 to allow primary producers, pest controllers, vets, wildlife rangers, licensed kangaroo shooters and shark control contractors to buy weapons and ammunition.
However, the direction said primary producers must be able to produce a Queensland firearms licence bearing one or more of the following condition codes: PPA, PP2, PP3, PP4, PP5, PP6 or PPH.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture Tony Perrett said this directive still barred about half of Queensland’s farmers from buying firearms and ammunition.
These farmers held OC1, OC2, OC3, OC4 and OC5 category licences.
Mr Perrett said a campaign by farmers and the LNP to reverse this had now been successful.
On April 9, the directive was amended to also allow occupational shooters to purchase firearms and ammunition if they could produce:
- A Queensland Firearms licence bearing one or more of the following condition codes OCA, OC2, OC3, OC4, OC5, OC6, AC1, AC3, AC4, OCC; or
- Codes RE1, RE2 and are able to produce their most recent Rates Notice showing they own rural land; or documentation from a rural land owner permitting the licence holder to shoot on the rural land for a rural purpose; or documentation evidencing the licence holder has a current rental or agistment arrangement for rural land.
“Farmers, their workers and recreational shooters who assist on rural land for rural purposes to control feral pests, should never have been put in this mess in the first place,” Mr Perrett said.
“Farmers are needed now more than ever to produce food and fibre and they rely on firearms in the management of their land.
“It’s essential for farmers to have access to licensed armourers and dealers to ensure they can continue to operate and adhere to animal welfare standards in the event a firearm is required to humanely euthanase a sick or injured animal.
“The service also provides a means for farmers to undertake their usual activities such as pest control.”
- External link: Non-Essential Business, Activity & Undertaking Closure Direction (No 5)
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