Work continues on State Election.
Six weeks ago, we outlined the joint approach that Victoria’s peak shooting organisations are taking to the 2022 Victorian State Election.
Rounds of meetings are progressing well, and there is clear support for shooting and hunting amongst the decision makers in the Government, the opposition, and minor parties.
The leading organisations are prosecuting initiatives to improve public land access and management, safeguard game hunting, improve shooting facilities, ensure robust consultation and promote shooting to the broader community. It is crucial to secure clear commitments on these issues to provide a solid platform for shooting and hunting for the next four years. Trying to hold the parties to promises they made at elections a decade ago would be pointless.
With just seventy days until the election, MPs and parties are being bombarded with policy requests and questionnaires from interest groups. SSAA Victoria works with MPs across the political spectrum, year in and year out. This means the Association is not left scrambling for attention once every four years.
The process from here
Parliament sits again next week, likely for the last time before the election. Whilst politicking is already well underway, we expect the campaign and announcements to intensify from early October.
Experience tells us that, whilst we may well get specific announcements earlier, we are unlikely to know the full suite of policy commitments for shooting and hunting from the major parties before early to mid-November. Shooters shouldn’t read anything into this; it simply reflects the parties’ timing announcements to best suit their campaigns.
SSAA Victoria will publish a table of the commitments from the various parties, along with an analysis, before early voting begins on November 14. This advice will be updated as necessary in the lead-up to election day.
Timeline
- The caretaker period commences at 6 pm on Tuesday, November 1.
- The deadline for Victorians to enrol to vote or update their enrolment is 8 pm on Tuesday, November 8.
- Early voting begins Monday, November 14.
- Election day Saturday, November 26.
