ACCORDING to the Sydney Morning Herald, the number of game hunting licences issued to children as young as 12 has surged in recent years, amid a push to allow them to shoot feral animals in national parks.
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Figures compiled by the group Gun Control Australia show that 410 game hunting licences were issued to children aged between 12 and 17 in 2012, up from 261 in 2011.
There was also a push to allow minors to hunt feral animals with firearms and bows and arrows in national parks under the supervision of licensed adults.
Whether they should – or shouldn’t – is something which needs to be debated.
Saturday’s forum at Moruya featured robust discussion about children and guns, from the push to involve more youths in hunting, the psychological impact it can have and the harm to animals, to the concern about the spread of American-style gun culture in Australia.
That one community member was so passionate about these issues she sought to discuss them in a community meeting is commendable.
The forum included a range of credible guest speakers, however, noticeably absent on the invite list were representatives of sporting shooting and hunting groups.
Thankfully, that did not stop them from attending and having their say.
However disliked, there are reported benefits to the environment in hunting pest animals.
Shooting sports, which can be pursued to the Olympic level, require accuracy, speed and concentration.
It should be noted too that there is more regulation when it comes to guns in Australia than ever before. Gone are the days where dad or another responsible adult could legally take a young shooter out to the back paddock for some informal shooting practice.
As in any debate, both sides of the argument need to be represented.
If only one side is heard – in this case the negative side – such a forum risks perpetrating fear and ignorance within our community.
And that is an outcome no one is shooting for.