The Greens’ candidate for the Wollongong byelection fears a Kembla Grange shooting range will create more of a gun culture in the city.
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Cath Blakey’s stance comes as her party says politics in NSW is “misfiring”, with millions of dollars being spent on gun-related facilities across the state rather than other services.
The NSW government revealed last week it would invest $4.1 million into the Brownsville Indoor Shooting Range.
“Wollongong definitely needs investment but we don’t need investment in gun culture,” Ms Blakey said.
“It’s a shame that they are prioritising shooting rather than investment in … other important public services.”
Asked if the facility would encourage more of a gun culture, she said: “Yeah definitely, that’s why they’re doing it”.
Greens MP and gun control spokesman David Shoebridge echoed the sentiment.
“Australia is suffering from a growing gun culture that is seeing Coalition governments held hostage to the well-armed minority parliamentary gun lobby,” Mr Shoebridge said.
“Politics in NSW is misfiring when the gun lobby gets millions while key public services are being starved.
“Rather than splashing millions in support of more shooting and firearms facilities, the Illawarra needs investment in jobs, public transport and health.”
Shooters, Fisher & Farmers Party Illawarra representative Mark Banasiak told the Mercury last week the funding announcement was a win for “10,000 law-abiding firearm owners from Helensburgh to Nowra who are going to benefit from this range directly”.