This bill has been described as the ‘gun lobby’s wishlist’. It’s divided the NSW Coalition

The Coalition is divided over a controversial Shooters, Fishers and Farmers bill that would enshrine the “right to hunt” in law, but Liberal MPs have accused NSW Premier Chris Minns of engaging in “US-style political horse-trading” and undermining community safety.

The proposal, backed by the NSW Labor government, would make hunting among “very rare” fundamental rights in the state, which include voting, receiving an education and treatment as a victim of crime, according to parliamentary research provided to Liberal MP James Wallace.

The Game and Feral Animal Legislation Amendment (Conservation Hunting) Bill 2025 introduced in May has been heavily criticised by gun control groups, the Greens and the Animal Justice Party.

The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, established by Walter Mikac after his two daughters were killed in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, described it as the “most regressive firearm legislation” introduced into any Australian parliament in 30 years.

It criticised the proposed enshrinement of a “right to hunt”, and the inclusion of a conservation hunting licence as a genuine reason for firearm possession, as a “Trojan horse” for the “gun lobby’s wishlist”. The proposed ability for shooters to access suppressors has been widely condemned, but the government has indicated it would not support that part.

Shooters Party leader Robert Borsak has slammed the criticism as being misinformed and “anti-hunting lies and propaganda”. He has categorically rejected suggestions he cut a deal with the government and also dismissed claims the legislation would increase the supply of guns in NSW.

A spokeswoman for the premier has previously denied a deal has been struck.

In an email to constituents obtained by the Herald, Wallace said the inclusion of $7.9 million in the June budget for the “Conservation Hunting Authority” demonstrated the Minns government had been working with the Shooters Party on the bill. The hunting authority has been criticised as a revival of the Games Council, abolished in 2013 after a number of scandals and a scathing review.

The NSW Parliamentary library had confirmed statutory rights in NSW were “very rare”, Wallace said, reserved for the most fundamental values such as the “such as the ‘right to vote’, ‘right to an education’, and ‘rights as a victim of crime’.”

Liberal leader Mark Speakman said: “The premier and Labor appear to have been caught out doing US-style political horse-trading on gun rights with the Shooters Party in exchange for their support on other government legislation.

“Chris Minns must rule out trading gun laws for upper house votes to pass his cuts to workers’ compensation.”

But the Coalition is also at odds over what Liberal MP Jordan Lane described as a “dog of a policy”.

“It is not only a disgraceful law, it’s a disgraceful way of making law,” he said.

During debate over the bill in early June, Nationals upper house leader Sarah Mitchell said, barring some amendments not relating to the hunting aspects of the proposed legislation, the opposition was largely supportive of the Shooters’ legislation.

“I indicate at the outset that the opposition does not oppose the bill. We also have some amendments that we will move at the committee stage, but we are broadly supportive,” Mitchell said.

But a spokeswoman for Nationals leader and opposition agriculture spokesman Dugald Saunders now says: “We’re awaiting the report from an inquiry before considering our final position and will have more discussions with our party room before that position is clear.”

Liberal upper house MP Rachel Merton also spoke in favour of the bill in June, “not only as a member but as a licensed shooter”, saying she supported the proposed bounty scheme and the recognition of “hunting as a cultural cornerstone for Australians”.

Liberal backbencher Monica Tudehope said former prime minister John Howard had warned the bill would undermine the gun laws introduced after the Port Arthur massacre.

“He’s so worried that he has written to the premier asking him to reject the bill. But here’s how we know that won’t happen. The thing is, Labor has allowed this bill to be introduced into the upper house to get votes for their workers’ compensation legislation,” she said.

“That’s the state of politics in NSW at the moment, undermining community safety, trading that for votes on a completely different bill.”

A Liberal source, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal party deliberations, said MPs were not given sufficient detail on the Shooters bill when it was considered by the Coalition’s joint party room in May.

A spokeswoman for Minns said: “Labor will never vote to water down gun laws – not now, not ever. The only major party proposing to water down gun laws is the NSW National Party.”

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