Dear Members,

SSAA ACT Inc. is currently undertaking a coordinated approach to ensure the voices of responsible firearms owners are heard clearly in current and future policy discussions.

As part of this effort, we are asking all members to participate in three important initiatives:

Member Survey
We have launched a long-ish survey to better understand your experiences, concerns and priorities. It also asks some quantitative questions so we can understand the impacts of current proposals to our members. Your feedback will help guide our advocacy and strengthen our submissions to government.

Responses must be provided by 28 February 2026 to be included in the SSAA ACT Inc. submission to the Inquiry into the Bill. Responses will still be accepted after this date though.

Community Petition
We are supporting a petition in the Legislative Assembly calling on the Government to ensure reform is based on evidence, is proportionate to risk, is fair to law abiding licensed firearms owners, and targeted against criminal misuse.

Media Campaign – Putting a Human Face to Firearms Ownership
We are developing a media campaign that highlights the real people behind lawful firearms ownership – everyday Canberrans who value safety, responsibility, sport and community.

This initiative aims to challenge stereotypes and help ensure the public conversation is balanced and informed.

Your participation in these activities is vital. Together, they help us present strong, credible and representative advocacy on behalf of our membership.

We encourage you to:
1. Complete the member survey
2. Sign and share the petition
3. Consider supporting the media campaign by sharing your story.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to responsible firearms ownership in the ACT. With your involvement, we can help ensure our collective voice remains strong, informed and respected.

Dear Members,

The Executive Committee of Council and other volunteers have been working throughout the holidays to develop and coordinate a coherent response to the proposed changes resulting from the Bondi Terrorist attack in December. We have also been working to engage with key decision-makers and stakeholders, to keep our members informed of the situation and to provide meaningful guidance. A quick summary of activities is outlined below:

• initial collection of information and communication with key stakeholders – primarily SSAA National and SSAA NSW but also with other SSAA States & Territories.

• Development and distribution of;

  • initial Member Update on 20 December 2025

  • Submission to ACT Government, available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc

  • follow-up Member Update on 5 January 2026 – and supporting Members Information Pack

• Meeting requests to;

  • ACT Chief Minister (Andrew Barr)

  • ACT Police Minister (Dr Marisa Paterson)

  • ACT Leader of the Opposition (Mark Parton)

  • ACT Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services (Deborah Morris)

• Meetings / Correspondence / Discussions with;

  • ACT Leader of the Opposition (Mark Parton), including a meeting at the SSAA ACT Ranges

  • ACT Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services (Deborah Morris), including a meeting at the SSAA ACT Ranges

  • ACT Police Minister (Dr Marisa Paterson), including a meeting at the ACT Legislative Assembly

  • The Executive Committee met face-to-face on Sunday 18 January with the SSAA President (Andrew Judd), the CEO (Tom Kenyon), and the SSAA Media & Political Manager (Charlotte Fox) ahead of the recall session of the Federal Parliament to debate the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026. Afterwards, the SSAA CEO – Tom Kenyon met with Senator for the ACT (David Pocock) at a roundtable discussion at Parliament House.

Outcomes from the above include;

• Commitment from ACT Liberals to consult with and consider input from SSAA ACT Inc on potential or proposed changes to the ACT Firearms Act 1996 

• Advice from the ACT Police Minister that;

  • there is no intent to change the existing Firearms License term

  • The ACT Government intends to transition to an integrated screening and suitability assessment process for Firearms Licenses and other purposes – utilising AusCheck

  • The ACT Government will table a draft new ACT Firearms Act during the first sitting period in February – from 3-6 February

  • The draft Bill should go straight to Committee for review and a public consultation period

  • There is likely to be progressive process of development and implementation of changes to the existing ACT Firearms legislation, as well as appropriate opportunities for consultation with key stakeholders before any proposed changes were legislated

A full summary of our meeting with the ACT Police Minister is available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc

The Executive Committee is now developing a Submission for the ACT Standing Committee on Legal Affairs in response to the recently tabled Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026, which is available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc.

Keep your eye out for a Member Survey in the coming week or so, and we will draw member feedback from your responses.

Media Management

At our February meeting, Council also agreed to retain a Canberra-based Public Relations firm to develop and manage a three-month online public relations campaign to raise public awareness and mobilise public support for SSAA ACT Inc.  We are approaching ACT-based PR firms but if any of our Members have applicable experience, expertise and capability in developing, implementing and managing a public relations campaign – and are interested in either providing the service on a commercial basis or helping out as a volunteer – please contact our Vice President (Julian Talbot) at: vp@ssaaact.org.au ​

If members are interested in being part of the campaign and telling their stories, could they please get in contact via this form, or email the above address.

Gun Buyback and Firearms Limits;

There is no actual gun buyback at the moment. The Federal Government has passed an appropriation to fund a future gun buyback, should one be implemented – but without any dollar value attached and without any details as to how it might be constituted or implemented. NSW will certainly need to implement a buyback, in conjunction with the Federal Government, but there have been no details about that yet either. Firearms Limits have been proposed for the ACT but have not yet been legislated and the final Bill is subject to a Legislative Assembly review and consultation process.

• SSAA National is actively lobbying at the National level against a buyback and the imposition of arbitrary firearms limits

  • so are we at the ACT Government level

• SSAA National is actively lobbying that any buyback must be based on fair-market-value, consistent with the 1996 buyback scheme

  • so are we at the ACT Government level

• SSAA National has engaged a legal firm to examine the Commonwealth Constitutional and legislative issues underpinning any buyback with respect to any requirement to pay fair market value and to avoid financial detriment arising from any compulsory acquisition

• SSAA National will launch a legal challenge if the government seeks to implement anything other than fair-market-value

  • SSAA ACT Inc has agreed to engage a Canberra-based legal firm to provide specialist legal advice and to represent our interests in any legal challenge that may be appropriate or required.

• SSAA National is liaising with other Associations to join a class action against anything other than fair market value.

• In the ACT there are legislative provisions requiring that any compulsory acquisitions must be based on fair market value and not result in undue financial detriment.

• In the ACT, the acquisition of assets or goods requires “just terms compensation” based on the market value of a “willing but not anxious seller” selling to a “willing but not anxious buyer.” 

• In the ACT, even if there is “No General Market”, compensation is determined by its worth to the owner, including replacement costs.

Petition

Nicole Small (our Secretary) has personally initiated a petition in the ACT Legislative Assembly in response to proposed changes to the ACT Firearms Act:  Firearms Reform – Evidence Based Policy and Proper Consultation ACT Legislative Assembly 

The petition calls for (among other things)

• an evidence-based policy process, ensuring that any proposed changes are: 

  • justified by data; 

  • supported by expert analysis; and 

  • demonstrably linked to improved public safety outcomes;

• genuine, fair and reasonable consultation with affected stakeholders, including: 

  • licensed firearm owners; 

  • firearms dealers and retailers; 

  • primary producers and land managers; 

  • pest control operators; 

  • sporting organisations; 

  • conservation bodies; 

  • government agencies and security organisations that hold licenses; and 

  • rural landholders;

• ensure that any reform measures are proportionate, fair and targeted, with a clear focus on criminal misuse and illegal firearms rather than lawful, compliant ownership;

The petition is open and at last count had over 700 signatures. Any petition over 500 is automatically referred to the applicable committee but the more signatures a petition has, the more seriously it is likely to be taken.

Although it is a private petition, it is endorsed by the SSAA ACT Inc Council and I have no hesitation commending it for your consideration.

The Secretary is also working on facilitating opportunities for members to have direct contact with various politicians, police, political parties and potentially other shooting entities to be able to ask questions and be informed. 

This is a stressful time for everyone and all of us are anxious about what changes may be made to the firearms laws that have been working effectively to maintain and promote public safety in the ACT for decades. We are also anxious that the reputation, viability and sustainability of our shooting sports and other legitimate firearms-related activities, are not undermined or jeapordised by the actions of criminals, extremists and terrorists.

​Shane Stroud
President
SSAA ACT Inc

Dear Members

This is a stressful time for everyone, and we understand (and share) your anxiety and frustration.

SSAA National and SSAA NSW worked quickly and tirelessly to engage with the NSW Government on the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 that passed through the NSW Parliament earlier this week, here: Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. The NSW Government was not prepared to consult with key stakeholders on the legislation, acting quickly to push the Bill through parliament.

Across the border, the ACT Government has announced it will take a more measured and consultative approach, while at the same time seeking to align (where practicable and appropriate) the ACT Firearms Act 1996 with the impending amendments to its NSW equivalent.

During the holidays, your Executive Committee has been working to coordinate an effective response to represent the interests of all our members. We have:

• released an information update and guidance to all our members,
• routinely liaised with SSAA National and the other SSAA States & Territories,
• engaged with and are seeking to mobilise all the other ACT-based and regional firearms clubs, associations and other stakeholders to provide comprehensive and collective input into the consultation process for any proposed changes to the ACT Firearms Act.
• had discussions and (with the endorsement of Council) are planning meetings with
  • the Office of the Chief Minister,
  • the ACT Leader of the Opposition,
  • the ACT Police Minister, and
  • the Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the Firearms Registry, and
• been working to develop submissions and an information pack to provide to the aforementioned stakeholders.

We are also reading and responding to correspondence from members who are anxious about the future of our legitimate shooting sports and activities.

Your Executive Committee is doing what our members should expect us to do. We are working calmly, methodically and rationally to represent our members where and when it counts, with urgency, without fuss, without panic, and without self-promotion or self-aggrandisement.

You can be assured we will continue to do so and will keep you updated with significant developments as they occur.

In the meantime, please help to protect the credibility and reputation of all ACT-based and regional Licensed Firearms Owners by being measured, considered, courteous and respectful in any social media posts. While representation of the Association is the responsibility of Council and the Executive committee, individual members are always free to engage with ACT Government representatives or officials. In such interactions, the linked Member’s Information Pack may be useful to support the consistent and coherent delivery of key messages on significant issues.

Members might also find the linked video update from the SSAA CEO (Tom Kenyon) interesting and useful:  Why This Gun Law Overreach Matters to Every Shooter