The Sporting Shooters Association of Australia (NSW) Inc. "SSAA NSW" has slammed the Australian Broadcasting Corporation "ABC" for a biased and deceptive article on its' online platforms.
SSAA NSW Executive Director Diana Melham has called for the ABC to correct the record in the article, "Gun sales at controversial HuntFest festival raise ire as photographers take aim at event", after misleading statements were published.
"The article references comments made by known anti-firearm social justice warrior David Shoebridge, who states the holding of HuntFest on public land contravenes the National Firearms Agreement "NFA"," Mrs Melham said.
"Nowhere in the NFA is any reference made to the holding of fairs, festivals or events, nor does it refer anywhere to firearm sales in relation to public lands.
Mrs Melham said the ABC presented a distorted view of firearm owners and recreational hunting in the article.
"Hunting is no different to fishing, where people go out into the natural environment and harvest the best of organic free-range food," Mrs Melham said.
Mrs Melham said law abiding firearm owners should not be condemned for the actions of unlicensed criminals who obtain and use illegal guns to commit their crimes.
"If the ABC and social justice warriors like David Shoebridge want to make our community a safer place, they should support the efforts of SSAA NSW to work with the Government and regulators to achieve fair and workable firearms laws that are not onerous on licensed law-abiding firearms owners, but that are truly effective in addressing the real problem of illegal firearms and gun crime," Mrs Melham said.