Broadly yes, but where the system becomes too onerous or the bar is set so high that most volunteer run ranges have difficulty complying, I do see it being a problem...
From my perspective what is new is the following:
- Insistence from police that their version of the "truth" is the only acceptable one. Around Nov 2022 they suddenly dropped recognition of the discipline range manuals, I have still to see a reasonable argument for this. An NRANZ range should easily be able to use a 5 mil COF (effectively 1m dia cone at 100m). My understanding is that they will accept this, but of course the range manual only states 20 mil COF...
- Requiring field shooting ranges (farms) to comply with what is effectively "permanent range" criteria & design principles.
- Fundamentally failing to understand that most clubs and ranges are run by already stretched volunteers. I have major concerns about the willingness of people to serve on committees once the police start prosecuting people for club/range compliance issues.
- Requiring a single SRO to be responsible when in reality on most ranges the facility is shared between multiple clubs - some who may have very different styles of shooting. I had a very brief discussion about this with the head honcho of police clubs and ranges when I did the inspectors course - but he was far more interested in having a single person he could prosecute...
I've been through a recent range inspection by the newly formed police firearms regulator. From my point of view, the focus was almost solely on the contents of the standing orders (i.e. paperwork/documentation). I kinda got the feeling they realize that the physical requirements they have set for backstop / bullet catcher heights are way over the top - and seem to be willing to let that slide (for now). The distinct impression I got was that it is similar to Worksafe - a box ticking exercise until someone gets hurt. Then they come down on the company where the worker got injured like a ton of bricks... I think we will see something similar from the firearms safety authority.
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