Dear [Recipient],

I am writing as a member of Victorian Hound Hunters Inc., a responsible firearms owner, and a manager of sustainable sambar deer hunting operations in Victoria, to express strong opposition to proposed increases in Australian firearms regulations. I am particularly concerned about measures to limit the number of firearms an individual may own and the reclassification of certain firearm categories.

Australia already maintains some of the world’s most comprehensive firearms regulations. Licensed owners are subject to genuine reason assessments, mandatory safety training, secure storage obligations, firearm registration, and ongoing police oversight. Credible evidence showing that additional restrictions on compliant owners would enhance public safety is absent, and the current framework already targets the actual risks effectively.

The proposed reclassification of firearms represents an arbitrary change that could render lawful firearms prohibited without any change in function or demonstrated risk. Such reclassification disregards decades of safe, responsible use by licensed owners and lacks evidence-based justification. Firearms legally owned and used safely under current classifications should not be moved to more restrictive categories on the basis of cosmetic features or political expediency rather than genuine safety concerns.

I am concerned that isolated criminal incidents may be used to justify further restrictions on law-abiding licensed owners who have demonstrated ongoing compliance with Australia’s stringent regulatory framework.

Policy responses must be proportionate and directed at the actual source of risk rather than imposing burdens on compliant citizens who pose no demonstrated threat to public safety. When criminals intend to cause harm, they will seek whatever means are available—illegal firearms or other weapons. Restricting lawful owners does little to prevent such acts.

Proposals to limit the number of firearms per individual would disproportionately affect responsible users while failing to address criminal misuse. Many licensed owners, including those involved in sustainable game management, often require multiple firearms for legitimate purposes:

Many hunters and sporting shooters live in metropolitan areas, not only in rural or regional regions. These communities rely on clear, proportionate regulations that reflect real, diverse needs across Victoria. Overly broad restrictions risk disadvantaging urban practitioners who pursue lawful, safety-conscious hunting and sport shooting within compliant, regulated contexts.

As the manager of sustainable sambar deer hunting, I can attest that responsible game management requires access to appropriate firearms suited to varying conditions, terrain, and ethical harvest requirements. Victorian hound hunters play a crucial role in sustainably managing sambar deer populations, supporting ecological balance and aligning with Victoria’s Game Management Authority objectives.

Criminal firearms activity is overwhelmingly linked to illegal importation, trafficking, and misuse, not licensed, compliant owners. Further restrictions on lawful ownership risk diverting enforcement resources from efforts that would more effectively address genuine sources of crime.

There is a genuine concern that incremental regulatory expansion could erode the relationship between government and responsible firearms owners—farmers, sporting shooters, game managers, and regional Victorians who rely on firearms as essential tools. Public policy should be evidence-based, proportionate, and focused on demonstrable risk reduction rather than symbolic measures that burden compliant citizens without meaningful safety benefits.

I respectfully urge you to oppose proposals that further restrict lawful firearms ownership, including numerical limits on possession and arbitrary reclassification of firearms categories. Instead, please support:

Thank you for considering my perspective on this important matter.

I trust you will carefully evaluate the practical, social, economic, and conservation impacts of any proposed changes to Australia’s firearms regulatory framework.

Yours sincerely,

[Your Name]

Member, Victorian Hound Hunters Inc.