Local voices join world-wide concern over gun proliferation
By Susan Cruttenden, Dalmeny
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AFTER two years of growing community opposition, concerned residents and SAFE campaigners met outside Eurobodalla Shire council chambers in Moruya recently.
They presented to Greens Councillor Gabi Harding a petition with over 40,000 signatures opposing HuntFest.
This impressive petition demonstrated there is world-wide concern over any proliferation of guns.
SAFE (Stop Arms Fairs in Eurobodalla) is a group of local residents with varied political philosophies.
However, they are united in their concerns about the approval of the HuntFest event and also the current application before council by the HuntFest organisers, to sell guns and ammunition in Narooma.
In the words of SAFE member Mandy Wheatley, “We are concerned about public safety. Our country’s long-established non-violent value system is under threat here in this quiet coastal community. We are the only small coastal location in Australia that has held an event such as HuntFest.”
Hazel Constable, a long-time resident of Eurobodalla, expressed the indignation of many when she spoke in public forum.
“I remember how pleased and grateful the residents of this southern end of the shire were when the Sports and Leisure Centre was opened.
“Now we have learned that HuntFest has asked for leave to sell deadly weapons.
“If councillors do agree to the sale of deadly weapons will it promote a gun culture in our community, especially for the young?”
Several of the council members appear to consider the public has shown no particular concern about HuntFest or the sale of guns and ammunition, in spite of the fact over the last two years since its unpublicised decision to grant a licence to the South Coast Hunters Club was made, dissatisfaction with this event and the people who promoted it has been expressed through petitions, presentations to council, meetings, letters to newspapers, emails and contacts with politicians.
Most recently, over 930 Eurobodalla residents signed a petition that was presented by Andrew Constance to the NSW Legislative Assembly on their behalf, for consideration by the NSW Minister for Crown Lands.
This petition states in part:
“We reject HuntFest on a number of grounds , including the absence of community consultation and its negative social, cultural and economic impacts on the shire; and therefore we ask the Legislative Assembly to rescind the approvals which were granted by a delegate of the Minister administering the Crown Lands Act on 21 March 2013”.
The decision has not yet been made.
Now councillors are called on to consider submissions for and against the sale of guns at Huntfest, in a belated attempt at community consultation, giving extra attention one would hope to the submissions made by the people who live here, rather than to a powerful external lobby group of hunters.
Some councillors do not consider HuntFest or the sale of guns to be detrimental to our tourism industry.
Last month’s petition from people from 155 different countries around the world is evidence that news travels fast and shows how quickly “How Life Should Be” could be changed to “Hunters’ Headquarters”.
At the council meeting, Sister Llaurel Clare Lloyd Jones, a dignified figure in her Franciscan habit, reminded councillors of their moral duty to listen to and respect the interest of the community.
She said, “You were called under the Local Government Act to always firstly consider the social effects on a community, and especially in regard to children.”
We find out whether they were listening or not on November 25.