Stockton Rifle Range

The Hon. L. D. W. COLEMAN [11.26]: As a result of strong representations from shooters from all over New South Wales, local shooting clubs and organisations, the Hon. John Jobling, M.L.C., the member for Maitland - Peter Blackmore, M.P., Senator John Tierney and Senator Sandy Macdonald, and the New South Wales Government through the Department of Conservation and Land Management would be prepared to negotiate the taking over of Stockton Rifle Range on the following basis: the range would be made available on a long-term lease basis at a peppercorn cost or rent per year. No restrictions would be placed on who or what discipline could shoot on the range, and no restrictions would be placed on the development of the site for a regional complex up to international standards. The New South Wales Government assumes that there are no environmental problems that could not be easily and cheaply overcome.

The New South Wales Government looks forward to a quick response from the Commonwealth as to its long-term intentions for the Stockton range. Last night the Minister for Land and Water Conservation held a meeting in New South Wales Parliament House with the aim of looking at the tenure and future development of shooting facilities throughout the State. This meeting was attended by all leading shooting disciplines and it was a resounding success. The New South Wales Government is very keen to get its young shooters into training for the year 2000 Olympic Games and looks forward to a quick response from the Commonwealth.

The Stockton rifle range should be kept for the sport of shooting and to train future gold medallists in shooting. Shooting is one of the few sports that older people can enjoy with their children. The Stockton range is vital to the Newcastle region for future militia training, if we ever come under threat. It is coastal green belt open country which should be preserved as the region becomes more urbanised. The range is unique in that it is the only 1,000-yard range in the Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong areas to train New South Wales' shooting teams. It is an income earner for the district and could be developed further for regional shooting. The Federal Labor Government should encourage the use of the range by all sporting disciplines, instead of trying to sell off the farm.

It is typical of the anti-shooting attitude, which only forces people underground with their firearms instead of encouraging genuine shooters by giving
Page 3830
them somewhere to shoot. Returned Soldiers League members and widows of fallen soldiers must be wondering whether it was all worth while, and some day we may need to train our young men again. How can a Government be so shortsighted? With the Federal Labor Government closing the Stockton range and the Anzac range in Sydney and its withdrawal from Hornsby rifle range, 5 million people within the Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong region will no longer have a major rifle range and will no longer have training facilities for either military or competition style shooting, let alone sporting and recreational shooting. What chances do we have of training for the Olympic Games when the Federal Government deprives people of training facilities for a major sport.

Motion agreed to.