BART IRWIN

I HAVE been watching recent clay target shooting competitions with incredulity at the number of interstate visitors competing.

NT Field and Game had a field of 100 for three days last weekend, with 50 of them from Victoria, Tassie, South Australia and NSW.

The other clay target clubs also attracted up to 260 shooters for their six days of events in July.

The Top End Practical Shooting League had 350 compete at their five-day event in June.

These visitors spend thousands of dollars for each week they are here and contribute immensely to the tourist economy.

Many of the visitors to Field and Game have stayed on with their spouses to enjoy the fishing, restaurants and sightseeing tours on offer.

Shooting associations in the Territory have been well supported, thankfully, by the NT and federal governments through generous grants. I received many comments about the growth of infrastructure at our Mickett Creek range from visitors.

It has progressed from a dusty range with more manual than automatic traps, to the most sophisticated equipment north of Melbourne and a bitumen road with shelter sheds from the sun and rain dotted around the course.

And there, in wonder, I see that the Birmingham Commonwealth Games have excluded shooting sports. Even more so, Daniel Andrews is yet to announce if the 2026 Victorian Commonwealth Games will include shooting.

Shooting has been a significant contributor to the Commonwealth Games movement internationally and within Australia, and to the medal success of Australia’s teams in previous Games.

There are obvious synergies between a strong participation in target shooting sports across regional Australian communities (including Victoria) and an entirely regional Commonwealth Games in 2026.

Mr Andrews has form targeting firearm owners for special attention. During the height of the pandemic, Victoria Police sent an email to licensed firearm holders, warning their licence “could be suspended, cancelled or may be subject to a reprimand which could harm any future licensing”, should they breach the chief health officer’s directives.

Earlier that year, as a response to the pandemic, the Victorian government severely restricted access to firearms and ammunition by banning purchase to the general licensed public and only allowing sales to those with “occupational needs”, i.e. farmers, rural landholders and security guards. It seems “woke” governments in Britain and Victoria don’t recognise that the shooting sports have added 70 gold medals to the all-time Australian Commonwealth Games medal tally. Or maybe they do.

Sunday Mass practice returns to the NT Field and Game range at the Mickett Creek Shooting Complex today from 9am until noon. All welcome.