Shooting in parks set to become legal
LEGISLATION allowing shooting in national parks and reserves across New South Wales is expected to pass the Upper House when parliament resumes today (Thursday).
Discussions on the bill to allow recreational hunters into 79 national parks and reserves continued until about 11pm yesterday (Wednesday).
Greens MP David Shoebridge says the Greens have obtained a minor victory during the marathon debate by securing an amendment to disallow hunters on to council land and to prohibit the use of semi-automatic weapons on public land.
“That would have been a historic step backward,” Mr Shoebridge told Sydney media this morning.
Meanwhile in Canberra, Greens Senators Lee Rhiannon and Penny Wright say they will move a motion in the Senate this afternoon calling on the Attorney-General Nicola Roxon to strengthen uniform gun laws across Australia.
“With Premier (Barry) O’Farrell up to his elbows in pro-gun culture there is a role for the federal Government to step in to ensure the good work started by former Prime Minister John Howard . . . is not undermined,” Senator Rhiannon says in a statement.
The Greens are hoping Labor senators will also support a motion condemning Mr O’Farrell for opening up NSW national parks to hunting.
“Feral animal management should not be handed over to amateur shooters,” Senator Rhiannon says.
It follows a feisty debate in the NSW Parliament yesterday when Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham was lambasted by Shooters MP Robert Brown for accusing the Game Council of taking millions in kickbacks.
“Unfortunately we’re in a modern era so I can’t take you outside and beat you to death,” Mr Brown said.
He later apologised for the threat. | 
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