SSAA Victoria News
For ducks sake -Simon Toop from the GMA: SSAA Victoria Podcast Ep. 11
In Episode 11 of the SSAA Victoria Podcast, Barry Howlett is joined by co-hosts David Laird and Daryl Snowdon, along with special guest Simon Toop, Director of Strategy and Research at the Game Management Authority. Simon has spent years working at the intersection of wildlife science, hunting...
READ MORERegulator or activist? RSPCA’s duck hunting claims don’t stack up
Victoria’s animal welfare regulator should not be misrepresenting the work of the Game Management Authority. An article in the increasingly rabid anti-hunting birdcage liner, the Geelong Advertiser, penned by RSPCA Victoria CEO Dr Liz Walker, accuses Victoria’s duck hunting season of being...
READ MOREBad maths, bigger funding demands: The Invasive Species Council’s deer spin
In two separate social media posts this week, in two different states and both concerning wild fallow deer management, the shadowy Greens-aligned lobby group the Invasive Species Council (ISC) has once again demonstrated its preference for spin over substance and alarmism over sober management...
READ MORENew research shows why “all deer are bad” is lazy policy
Two recently published scientific studies into deer ecology in Australia are highlighting something that experienced hunters have known for years: Deer are not all the same. And their impacts are not the same everywhere. The research, led by scientists from the University of Sydney, provides some...
READ MOREBaiting program raises serious concerns for Hound Hunters and gundog users
Victoria's Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has announced a large-scale 1080 ground baiting program targeting dingoes and wild dogs across eastern Victoria, running from 1 March to 1 July 2026. While SSAA Victoria recognises that predator control plays an important role...
READ MOREMisreading the science: Hybridisation, conservation value, and the case for nuance in Victorian Hog Deer management
A 2019 paper by Erin Hill and colleagues published in Ecology and Evolution has become something of a touchstone in discussions about the conservation status of Victoria's wild hog deer (Axis Porcinus) population. The paper's finding that Victorian hog deer show evidence of historical hybridisation...
READ MORESouth Australia shows the way: Evidence, consultation, and getting it right
South Australia's Police Minister has written to the SSAA affirming a clear and principled position on firearms law reform - and the principles at the heart of that position apply equally to Victoria. The letter from the Office of the Hon. Blair Boyer MP, Minister for Police, comes ahead of the...
READ MOREEvidence-based firearms policy? Victoria’s path forward | SSAA Victoria Podcast Ep. 10
Join the SSAA Victoria team as we examine the policy responses following the Bondi attack and explore how Victoria's evidence-based review process can deliver effective firearms regulation. We discuss the rushed NSW legislative changes, the federal government's responses, and why Victoria's...
READ MOREFederal parliamentary hearing on firearms amendments: ideology in, expertise out
Today, the Federal Parliament’s Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security is holding its second public hearing on the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026. Buried in Schedule 4 of that Bill are the most significant changes to Commonwealth firearms import controls in decades:...
READ MOREPolling the shock: Exploiting grief for clicks
SSAA Victoria regularly commissions opinion polling, focus groups and other research on issues that matter to our members. That is a normal and responsible practice for a large, member-based organisation seeking to represent its stakeholders effectively and in good faith. We are not opposed to...
READ MOREBondi terrorist attack – SSAA in the media
In the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack, the National Cabinet has been quick to signal firearm law reforms, encouraged by long-standing anti-firearm activists seeking to advance their agenda. SSAA is working in a coordinated and disciplined manner to represent the interests of licensed,...
READ MORESSAA delivering coordinated advocacy on firearm policy – National strength, local insight
In the wake of the terrorist attack in Bondi, SSAA Victoria is providing steady, coordinated leadership for Victoria’s shooting community - working hand-in-glove with SSAA National while engaging directly with state decision-makers and media to protect the interests of licensed, law-abiding...
READ MORESSAA Victoria Welcomes New Outdoor Recreation Victoria Authority
Victoria’s leading shooting and hunting organisation has welcomed the State Government’s decision to merge the Game Management Authority (GMA) and the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) into a new, expanded statutory body: Outdoor Recreation Victoria. SSAA Victoria said the announcement marks...
READ MORESSAA united to support Blue Ribbon Day with $6,300 contribution
Blue Ribbon Day is an opportunity for Victorians to pay tribute to police officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty, while supporting the vital work of the Victorian Blue Ribbon Foundation. The Foundation honours fallen officers by funding important medical facilities in hospitals...
READ MORETaryn Dickens and Lynn Maree Cullen: In pursuit of Paralympic History
Biathlon is a demanding winter sport that combines cross-country skiing with precision rifle shooting. Athletes must maintain high levels of endurance and focus, alternating between intense physical effort on the ski course and calm, controlled accuracy at the shooting range. In para-biathlon,...
READ MOREGame meat: Ethical harvest, healthy communities
Europe will soon celebrate Game Meat Week, recognising the value of wild, sustainable, free-range game as both a cultural tradition and a responsible source of food. Closer to home, SSAA Victoria is leading that conversation. On Thursday, 20 November, SSAA Victoria will host the third annual...
READ MORESSAA Victoria working (and hunting) on the ground in Eastern Victoria
Practical engagement with Parks Victoria delivering better outcomes for hunters and habitat SSAA Victoria’s Hunting Development Manager spent several productive days in Eastern Victoria this week, working alongside the local Parks Victoria Ranger on initiatives that will directly support safe,...
READ MOREStolen licensed guns? The data doesn’t match the headlines
SSAA Victoria recently appeared in a story on the ABC’s 7.30 program examining claims that stolen licensed firearms are fuelling a surge in Australia’s illegal gun market. The story was prompted by a new report from The Australia Institute, which asserts that firearm theft is a major and...
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