Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = {{nowrap|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}

| abbreviation = SFF

| logo = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party logo.png

| colorcode = {{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}

| headquarters = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

| ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|Conservatism{{refn|{{cite news |last1=Manfield |first1=Evelyn |last2=Al Jrood |first2=Tabarak |date=13 February 2021 |title=WA election: Labor, Liberals decline to comment on preference deals ahead of deadline |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-13/wa-major-parties-decline-to-discuss-election-preference-deals/13152560 |work= ABC News |access-date=9 February 2024}}{{cite news |last=McGowan |first=Michael |date=20 October 2020 |title=Icac's independence 'threatened' by NSW funding model |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/oct/20/icacs-independence-threatened-under-nsw-funding-model |work=The Guardian |access-date=9 February 2024}}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=4 July 2020 |title=Conservative Shooters and Fishers Party has sold itself to Labor: Barilaro |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/conservative-shooters-and-fishers-party-has-sold-itself-to-labor-barilaro/video/43dfef99e2918508133baadf7ef2d922 |work=news.co.au |publisher= Sky News |access-date=9 February 2024}}}}

|Green conservatism{{refn|{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/major-parties-on-notice-after-orange-byelection-in-nsw-20161123-gsvwa4.html|date=24 November 2016|title=Major parties on notice after Orange by-election in NSW|work=Sydney Morning Herald}}{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/nsw-election-2019/the-wunderkind-behind-the-rise-of-shooters-fishers-and-farmers-party-20190326-p517k6.html |author1=Visentin, Lisa |author2=Koziol, Michael |title=The wunderkind behind the rise of Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=26 March 2019 |access-date=1 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-04/green-issues-unite-tasmanian-hunters-and-fishers-with-farmers/8676044|title=Green issues unite renamed Tasmanian Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party targeting next state election|first=Rhiannon|last=Shine|date=July 3, 2017|website=ABC News}}}}

}}

| position = Right-wing

| website = {{URL|shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au}}

| country = Australia

| founded = 2 May 1992

| seats1_title = New South Wales Legislative Council

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|2|42|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| seats2_title = Victorian Legislative Council

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|1|40|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| seats3_title = Local government councillors (NSW)

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|4|1480|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

}}

{{LGA seats

| seats1_title = Dubbo{{Cite web | title=Dubbo Regional - Councillor Election results | url=https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2401/dubbo/councillor | access-date=2025-01-01 | website=vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au}}

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|2|11|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|shooters}}}}

| seats2_title = Junee{{Cite web | title=Junee - Councillor Election results | url=https://vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2401/junee/councillor | access-date=2025-01-01 | website=vtr.elections.nsw.gov.au}}

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|1|9|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|shooters}}}}

| seats3_title = Hawkesbury{{Cite web | title=City of Hawkesbury - Councillor Election results | url=https://pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au/LG2101/hawkesbury/councillor | access-date=2025-01-01 | website=pastvtr.elections.nsw.gov.au}}

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|1|12|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|shooters}}}}

}}

{{Conservatism in Australia}}

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (SFF) is a conservative Australian political party. It primarily advocates for increased funding and services for rural and regional Australia,{{Cite web|url=https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/sff_pledge_bias_for_bush|title=SFF: NSW Government must be "bias for the bush" in exchange for support|date=29 March 2019|website=Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party|language=en|access-date=20 May 2019}} protecting the right to farm,{{Cite web|url=https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/nsw_primary_industries_and_farming|title=NSW Policy|website=Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party|language=en|access-date=20 May 2019}} enhancing commercial and recreational fishing,{{Cite web|url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/sfp2015/pages/485/attachments/original/1524461810/Fishing_%28Reviewed%29_150118.pdf?1524461810|title=SFF policy of fishing}} and relaxing gun control for citizens.{{Cite web|url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/sfp2015/pages/485/attachments/original/1585722376/FIREARMS_POLICY.pdf?1585722376|title=SFF policy on Firearms}}

The party was formed in 1992, and was known simply as the Shooters Party. It initially operated only in New South Wales, but has since expanded into other states. It was registered with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) in 2007, and contested its first federal election the same year.{{cite web|title=Registration of Shooters and Fishers Party |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Registered_parties/shooters-fishers.htm|work=Extract from the Register of Political Parties for the Shooters and Fishers Party|publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=8 March 2013}} In July 2009, the party changed its name to the Shooters and Fishers Party,{{cite web |title=Statement of Reasons: The Australian Shooters Party |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Registration_Decisions/2009/safp.htm |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission|access-date=13 November 2015}} and in April 2016, the name was changed to its current name.{{cite web |url=http://www.shootersandfishers.org.au/news/were-changing-our-name-to-the-shooters-fishers-and-farmers-party- |title=We're Changing Our Name to the "Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party" |publisher=Shooters & Fishers Party |date= 24 February 2016 |access-date=15 April 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/party_registration/Registration_Decisions/2016/6013.htm |title=Notice under s.134(6A) of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 – Shooters and Fishers Party |publisher=Australian Electoral Commission |date=15 April 2016 |access-date=15 April 2016}} The party has also gradually broadened its policy focus, with water and regional health care being its main focus during the 2019 NSW state and federal election campaigns.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-19/what-are-shooters-party-gun-policies-nsw-election/10913750|title=Shooters focus on health and water, not guns, for NSW election|newspaper=ABC News|date=18 March 2019}}

The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party currently has two members in the New South Wales Legislative Council and one in the Victorian Legislative Council. It has previously elected a member to the Western Australian Legislative Council.

In November 2016, the party won its first lower house seat in NSW, winning the seat of Orange in a by-election; subsequently increased to three seats following the 2019 New South Wales state election. However, in 2022 all three NSW Legislative Assembly members of parliament left the party to sit as independents.

History

The Shooters Party was formed on 2 May 1992 by journalist and broadcaster John Tingle after the New South Wales Government proposed to tighten gun control laws after a number of Australian mass shootings. Tingle claimed the new laws would prevent citizens from owning firearms for self-defence.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/a-man-of-calibre/2005/10/28/1130400366750.html|title=A man of calibre | date=29 October 2005|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | location=NSW, Australia|access-date=25 March 2015}} Tingle was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council at the 1995 NSW election in March 1995 for an eight-year term, the party's first representative.

After the National Firearms Agreement came into force, Tingle and the Shooters Party encouraged and helped organise the formation of hunting clubs in many parts of New South Wales, and in November 1996 formed them into the Federation of Hunting Clubs. The Federation is a recognised umbrella group under the Firearms Regulations, and the Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) was amended to recognise membership of a hunting club as a "genuine reason" for a firearm licence. About 90% of all firearms licences were taken out for the purpose of hunting. In the Federation's returns with the Australian Electoral Commission since 2008/09, the Federation indicates that it is an associated entity of the Shooters and Fishers Party.AEC: [http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Returns/56/TPBV1.pdf Associated Entity Disclosure Return, 2014/15] The Federation and the Shooters and Fishers Party share the same address, and most of the income of the Federation (about $30,000 in 2014/15) is donated to the Shooters and Fishers Party.AEC: [http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/NamedOnOtherList.aspx?SubmissionId=56&ClientId=29777 Name Listed on Other Returns – 2014–15] The Hunter District Hunting Club donated a further $42,000 to the party in 2014/15.{{cite web|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Donor.aspx?SubmissionId=56&ClientId=33323 |title=Donor Annual Return – 2014–15 |publisher=Periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au |date=28 February 2018 |access-date=10 March 2018}} The total receipts of the party in that year were $148,256.{{cite web|url=http://periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au/Party.aspx |title=Political Party Annual Return – 2014–15 |publisher=Periodicdisclosures.aec.gov.au |date=28 February 2018 |access-date=10 March 2018}}

Tingle was elected to a second term at the 2003 NSW election. In 2005, Tingle claimed that the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia had joined forces with the Shooters Party, with Brown being a life member of the Association. At the time, the association had more than 35,000 (now has 175,000+) members and the other mainstay of the shooting fraternity, the Federation of Hunting Clubs, had more than 50,000 members. It was the basis of the powerful gun lobby group. Tingle in the Legislative Council served until 3 May 2006 when he, at the age of 74, resigned from Parliament before, allegedly due to illness believed to be cancer.

Robert Brown, the party's chairman since 2005, was nominated by the party to fill the casual vacancy for the remainder of Tingle's term which ended in 2011. Brown was re-elected at the 2011 NSW election for an eight-year term. In 2013 Tingle resigned his position as vice chairman of the party and has relinquished his membership of the party.

For the 2013 federal election, the Shooters and Fishers Party was involved in the Minor Party Alliance and its organiser, Glenn Druery, was on its payroll. The so-called alliance arranged a preference deal among the minor parties which enabled candidates with very small primary votes to win seats in the Senate.{{cite news|url=http://indaily.com.au/news/2014/02/21/preference-whisper-gon-fishin/|title=Preference whisperer goes fishin' in SA|work=InDaily|location=Adelaide|date=21 February 2014}}{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-05/bitter-dispute-erupts-over-senate-preferences-in-queensland/4939300|title=Bitter dispute erupts over Senate preferences in Queensland|work=ABC News|location=Australia|date=5 September 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/special-features/alliance-of-micro-parties-boosts-odds-for-likes-of-one-nation-or-shooters-and-fishers-gaining-senate-spot-through-preferences/story-fnho52jp-1226713114765|title=Alliance of micro parties boosts odds for likes of One Nation or Shooters and Fishers gaining Senate spot through preferences|date=5 September 2013|work=Daily Telegraph|location=Australia}} At the 2013 election the party obtained about 1% of the national Senate vote.

In 2016, the party added "Farmers" to the party title, with the name change formally registered on 12 April 2016. The party has since adopted a much broader agenda, developing policies in areas such as water management; regional health care; education; mining and energy; local government and policing.{{Cite web|url=https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/nsw_policies-new|title=NSW Policies|website=Shooters, Fishers & Farmers Party}}

From the 2011–2018 period, the party has received approximately $700,000 in political donations from pro-gun groups.{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-27/australian-gun-lobby-as-well-organised-as-nra-report-finds/10940384|title=Gun lobby's 'concerted and secretive' bid to undermine Australian laws|last=Knowles|first=Lorna|date=27 March 2019|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=15 July 2019}}

Policies

=Water management=

In the 2019 NSW state election, the SFF Party campaigned strongly on the need to change policies and management around the Murray Darling Basin (MDB). This followed a water crisis across NSW, where several towns were left without safe drinking water,{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/rivers-run-through-nsw-country-towns-after-soaking-rain-downpour/news-story/9d0cfc5c8fa20f87a241077e713f73a9|title=Rain brings some relief for NSW towns}} millions of fish were killed in the Menindee Lakes{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-20/menindee-fish-death-leaves-devastated-town-worried-about-future/10729132|title=Menindee Fish kills leaves locals devastated|newspaper=ABC News|date=19 January 2019}} and there were widespread allegations of water theft, government mismanagement and corruption.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jan/19/murray-darling-basin-authority-and-nsw-largely-culpable-for-fish-kill-report-finds|title=NSW Government largely culpable for fish kill, report finds|website=TheGuardian.com|date=18 January 2019}}

SFF release a ten-point plan on water management, following consultation with farmers, water experts and regional communities. The plan called for:

  • Full standardised metering and inspections across the MDB – a "no meter, no pump" rule for water extraction.
  • An audit, measure and evaluate environmental water – management of environmental water must be centralised in the one entity, and the water kept for environmental purposes only (not sold or swapped). The costs and benefits of environmental flows must be analysed and reported on.
  • A federal royal commission into water mismanagement and a five-year pause of the Murray Darling Basin Plan (MDBP).

SFF argued a federal royal commission was needed to evaluate the flawed science, weak regulation and selective data undermining the MDBP; and flush out the corruption.

= Firearms =

The party's policies were initially entirely focused around firearms, asserting that every law-abiding citizen should have the right to own and use a firearm for legitimate purposes, including self-defence, a position that remains relatively unchanged but broadened in that they now advocate for the tougher sentencing for illegal gun use and do not condone "American style gun laws".{{Cite web|url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/sfp2015/pages/485/attachments/original/1585722376/FIREARMS_POLICY.pdf?1585722376|title=Firearms Policy}} In broadening the appeal the party now strongly supports recreational and conservation hunting, and laws giving shooters access to public land for hunting in a controlled ecological manner.{{Cite web|url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/sfp2015/pages/485/attachments/original/1597018330/RIGHT_TO_HUNT_AND_GATHER.pdf?1597018330|title=Right to Hunt and Gather}}

The Party counts among its achievements a number of successful Bills in New South Wales. These include those giving rights of self-defence to any citizen, anywhere, with immunity from civil or criminal liability;{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}} providing extra penalties for attacks on vulnerable people;{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}} giving families of homicide victims the right to be heard in court;{{Citation needed|date=March 2013}} establishment of the Game Council New South Wales now disbanded,{{Citation needed|date=March 2014}} and legislation allowing specifically licensed hunters to hunt on public land; government funding controlled by the party for shooting clubs, and the establishment and control of regional shooting complexes; recognition of membership of a hunting club as "genuine reason" for obtaining a firearms licence; and extension of minor permits from ages 12 to 18.{{Cite web|first=Andrew|last=Taylor|title=Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party calls for firearms permits for 10-year-olds|url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/shooters-fishers-and-farmers-party-calls-for-firearms-permits-for-10yearolds-20170801-gxmyzy.html|access-date=2020-09-17|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 August 2017|language=en-US}}

In 2019 NSW leader Robert Borsak stated that the party had no policies to weaken gun laws in NSW; although he called for a review of the functions and financing of NSW Firearms Registry.{{cite news |author1=Visentin, Lisa |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/almost-traitorous-shooters-take-aim-at-one-nation-over-gun-expos-20190329-p518xy.html |title='Almost traitorous': Shooters slam One Nation over al-Jazeera gun exposé |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=29 March 2019 |access-date=1 April 2019}}

=Other policies=

The leader of the NSW SFF, Robert Borsak, promotes climate change denialism, stating that "scientific research, reports and arguments supporting human blame for climate change, were wrong".{{cite news |title=Firefighters' group that disputes climate link to bushfires has close ties to Shooters party |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/09/firefighters-group-that-disputes-climate-link-to-bushfires-has-close-ties-to-shooters-party |access-date=21 October 2020 |work=the Guardian |date=8 January 2020 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Fitzsimons |first1=David |title=Vegan activists would face jail terms under SFF party legislation plan to help farmers |url=https://www.westernadvocate.com.au/story/6127792/vegan-activists-would-face-jail-terms-under-sff-party-legislation-plan-to-help-farmers/ |work=Western Advocate |date=16 May 2019 |language=en}}

In New South Wales, following the 2019 state election the party outlined its agenda that included calls for a NSW royal commission into water management, a "right to farm bill" to protect farmers against animal rights activists, and opposition to the Murray-Darling Basin plan, forced council mergers, and lockout laws in Sydney.

In Victoria, the party opposes the creation of the proposed Great Forest National Park in central Victoria, while their Victorian MP Jeff Bourman unsuccessfully attempted to relax restrictions on gun silencers for licensed hunters.{{cite web |last1=Carey |first1=Adam |title=Party in the upper house: Who's who on new Victorian crossbench |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/victoria/party-in-the-upper-house-who-s-who-on-new-victorian-crossbench-20181211-p50li6.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=11 December 2018 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=9 September 2020}}

Political activities

=Federal politics=

Before the 2004 federal election, the Australian Shooters Party was deregistered by the Australian Electoral Commission for failing to contest a federal election for four years. It was re-registered after the 2004 federal election but was deregistered again on 27 December 2006,{{cite web |url=http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_P/asp.htm |title=AEC redirection page - Australian Electoral Commission |access-date=28 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604072728/http://www.aec.gov.au/Parties_and_Representatives/Party_Registration/Deregistered_P/asp.htm |archive-date=4 June 2011 }} along with a number of minor parties which did not have a representative sitting in Federal Parliament. Re-registration was achieved in August 2007. The Australian Shooters Party contested the 2007 federal election and received 0.28% of the national vote and 1.1% of the vote in NSW. The Party was instrumental in flowing preferences away from the Greens in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.{{cite news|url=http://results.aec.gov.au/13745/website/SenateStateFirstPrefsByGroup-13745-NAT.htm|title=Senate State First Preferences by Group|work=Virtual Tally Room Election 2007|date=20 December 2007|access-date=8 June 2014}}

Glenn Druery who was behind the 2013 federal election preference deal successes with candidate elections on 0.2 and 0.5 percent was remunerated by the Shooters and Fishers Party for assisting in organising preference meetings and negotiating preference flows between parties. The party has been involved in Druery's Minor Party Alliance.

In May 2018, it was reported that Senator Brian Burston of One Nation had attempted to defect to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party; he would have been the party's first federal representative. Robert Borsak, the party's leader in New South Wales, said that "I don't think he'd be a good representative for us [...] we're not that desperate for a Canberra representative at the moment and when we do, we'll use our own people."{{cite news|url=https://www.afr.com/news/pauline-hanson-defied-as-one-nation-splits-on-company-tax-policy-20180530-h10ru6|title=Shooters Party says Brian Burston tried to defect|date=31 May 2018|access-date=1 June 2018|newspaper=The Australian Financial Review}} However, Burston subsequently stated: "The claim that I have approached the Shooters Party is totally and absolutely false".{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/one-nation-senator-brian-burston-tried-to-defect-to-shooters-party/news-story/f95730d5e6b87edc346d3984ce553fb7|title=One Nation Senator Brian Burston 'tried to defect' to Shooters Party|newspaper=The Australian|date=31 May 2018|access-date=1 June 2018}}

=New South Wales=

File:Philip Donato and Roy Butler at the 2022 Fire Brigade Employees' Union conference.jpg (left) and Philip Donato at the 2022 Fire Brigade Employees' Union conference, prior to their resignation from the party]]

At the 2007 New South Wales state election, the Shooters Party received 2.8% of the primary vote for the Legislative Council (↑0.8%) and lead candidate Roy Smith was elected to the Legislative Council. On 30 July 2010, Smith died in his sleep and Robert Borsak was nominated by the party to fill the casual vacancy. As a result, the party holds 2 seats in the NSW Upper House. In 2009 an agreement was reached to allow hunters onto public lands in a deal with the government.{{Cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/government-deal-to-open-national-parks-to-shooters-20091020-h6yt.html |title=Government deal to open national parks to shooters|date=21 October 2009|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=8 June 2014|author=Jensen, Erik}}

At the 2011 New South Wales state election, the Liberal/National Coalition took government but with three seats short of a majority in the upper house. The Shooters and Fishers Party held two seats along with the Christian Democratic Party, with the balance of power shifting from the Greens to the two parties.{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/27/3174945.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501204325/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/27/3174945.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 May 2011|title=Upper House shift from left to right|date=27 March 2011|work=ABC News|location=Australia}} The Shooters and Fishers Party was reported to have created a "shopping list" of demands in exchange for legislative support of the now Liberal/National government, however the government "ruled out" any deals with the Shooters.{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/13/3189971.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415085630/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/13/3189971.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 April 2011|title=O'Farrell rules out deal with Shooters|date=13 April 2011|work=ABC News|location=Australia}}

In May 2012 the party negotiated a deal with the O'Farrell government giving recreational shooters access to national parks to cull feral animals including pigs, rabbits and deer by allowing the passage of laws through the NSW Upper House to sell the state-owned power generating assets of Eraring Energy, Delta Electricity and Macquarie Generation, that were claimed to yield up to A$3 billion.{{cite news|title=Shooters' deal secures power sell-off|url=http://www.afr.com/p/home/shooters_deal_secures_power_sell_FiFrJuGOQkSu8qXZgt15kJ|access-date=8 March 2013|newspaper=Australian Financial Review|author=Whitbourn, Michaela|date=20 May 2012}} Deals continue to have fallout.{{Cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/shooters-party-mps-robert-borsak-and-robert-brown-vote-with-labor-greens-to-punish-nsw-premier-barry-o8217farrell/story-fni0cx12-1226701941696|title=The Shooters and Fishers Party has begun revenge attacks on the NSW Government|date=21 October 2009 |work=Daily Telegraph|location=Australia}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/shooters-party-mps-robert-borsak-and-robert-brown-vote-with-labor-greens-to-punish-nsw-premier-barry-o8217farrell/story-fni0cx12-1226701941696|title=Shooters Party MPs Robert Borsak and Robert Brown vote with Labor, Greens to punish NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell|author=Wood, Alicia|date=21 August 2013 |work=Daily Telegraph|location=Australia}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-15/nsw-government-loses-support-of-shooters-and-fishers-party/4821036|title=NSW government loses support of Shooters and Fishers party|author=Gerathy, Sarah|date=15 July 2013 |work=ABC News|location=Australia}}

At the state by-election for Orange on 12 November 2016, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Philip Donato became the party's first lower house member, defeating the incumbent National Party for the seat in the Legislative Assembly.{{cite news |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-21/orange-by-election-won-by-shooters,-fishers-and-farmers-party/8043658 |title=Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party claim first seat in NSW Lower House after Orange re-count |first=Joanna |last=Woodburn |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |work=ABC News |access-date=21 November 2016 |date=21 November 2016}}

In the 2019 New South Wales state election, the party made breakthroughs in the state's lower house, with candidates Roy Butler and Helen Dalton winning the seats of Barwon and Murray respectively.{{Cite news|url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/rise-of-the-shooters-fishers-and-farmers-party-is-a-problem-for-gladys-berejiklian-and-scott-morrison-too/news-story/0d206c8c8a3a779cd90e85e9eebf7048|title=Rise of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party is a problem for Gladys Berejiklian – and Scott Morrison too|last=Brook|first=Benedict|date=25 March 2019|work=news.com.au|access-date=27 March 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/nsw-election-2019/the-wunderkind-behind-the-rise-of-shooters-fishers-and-farmers-party-20190326-p517k6.html|title=The wunderkind behind the rise of Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party|last=Visentin|first=Lisa|date=26 March 2019|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=29 March 2019}} On 3 March 2022, Dalton resigned from Shooters Fishers and Farmers due to disagreeing with the party's Legislative Council members not showing up to vote against a bill regarding water usage that she believed would "disadvantage communities and irrigators in the lower Darling and Murray river system".{{cite news |last1=Gramenz |first1=Jack |title=NSW MP quits over party no-show |url=https://www.mudgeeguardian.com.au/story/7644197/nsw-mp-quits-over-party-no-show/?cs=12 |work=Mudgee Guardian |date=3 March 2022 |language=en-AU}} On 12 December 2022, Butler and Donato resigned over the behaviour of leader Robert Borsak.{{cite news | url = https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-12/shooters-party-mps-roy-butler-phil-donato-resign-in-protest/101760198 | title = Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MPs resign from party over behaviour of leader Robert Borsak | work = ABC News | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | author = Raper, Ashleigh | date = 12 Dec 2022 | access-date = 12 Dec 2022 }}

=Northern Territory=

The SFF Party has very little presence in the Northern Territory, but a Northern Territory branch of the party does exist.

At the 2016 general election, the party ran candidates in two rural seats: Katherine and Nelson.

At the 2016 federal election, the party contested both the remote seat of Lingiari and the metropolitan seat of Solomon. The party preferenced the incumbent members for their respect seats behind the other major party on their how-to-vote cards, thus preferencing the

Country Liberal Party (CLP) ahead of Labor in Lingiari{{cite web | url=https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/2016_lingiari_candidate_nt | title=Meet our 2016 Lingiari Division candidate (NT) }} and Labor ahead of the CLP in Solomon,{{Cite web | title=Meet our 2016 Solomon Division candidate (NT) - Shooters, Fisher & Farmers Party | url=https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/2016_solomon_candidate_nt | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180314230946/https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/2016_solomon_candidate_nt | access-date=2025-01-01 | archive-date=2018-03-14}} and the parts preferenced the Greens last in both seats.

In the Northern Territory, the party's voter base absorbs a plurality of voters who vote for Pauline Hanson's One Nation on the federal level, as One Nation does not contest Northern Territory general elections.{{Cite web| title=Northern Territory Social Services | publisher=Redbridge | date=2023-11-16 | url=https://redbridgegroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Northern-Territory-Social-Services-11.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129112416/https://redbridgegroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Northern-Territory-Social-Services-11.pdf | archive-date=2023-11-29}}

=South Australia=

At the 2006 South Australian state election, two Shooters Party candidates for the Legislative Council, Robert Low and Michael Hudson, preferenced the Family First Party as well as the One Nation Party. The Shooters Party received just under 6,000 votes, or 0.6% of the electors, with a 0.08 quota. Neither candidate was elected. The party also contested the 2010 (as Shooters) and 2014 (as Shooters and Fishers) elections, increasing the number of votes in each but not enough to achieve a quota. It was deregistered before the 2018 election.{{cite web |url=https://ecsa.sa.gov.au/about-ecsa/news/shooters-and-fishers-party-sa-de-registered |title=Shooters and Fishers Party SA De-registered |publisher=Electoral Commission of South Australia |date=13 February 2018 |access-date=23 February 2018}}

=Victoria=

At the 2014 Victorian state election, two Shooters and Fishers candidates were elected to the Legislative Council: Jeff Bourman received 2.44% first preference votes in the Eastern Victoria Region and was elected on preferences from the other minor parties, and Daniel Young received 3.5% first preference votes in the Northern Victoria Region and was also elected on preferences. Bourman was re-elected in 2018, while Young was defeated.

Bourman was re-elected in 2022.

=Western Australia=

File:SFF WA logo.png

At the 2013 Western Australian state election, Shooters and Fishers candidate Rick Mazza was elected to the Legislative Council with 3.09% of the vote in the Agricultural Region. Nigel Hallett was elected for the Liberal Party in South West Region, but changed to the Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers in June 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/meanwhile-in-wa-lib-defects-to-shooters-fishers-and-farmers/news-story/370d04734f40c5f94c93570a33378716 |title=Meanwhile, in WA: Lib defects to Shooters, Fishers and Farmers |newspaper=The Australian |first=Andrew |last=Burrell |date=16 June 2016 |access-date=14 October 2016}} Mazza retained his seat at the 2017 election, but Hallett did not. Mazza subsequently formed a 'conservative bloc' with One Nation and the Liberal Democratic Party in the Legislative Council.{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-18/conservative-minor-party-bloc-to-hold-sway-over-wa-upper-house/8538206 |title=WA politics: Upper House conservative bloc pledges to work with government |publisher=ABC News |date=18 May 2017 |access-date=10 March 2018}}

State and territory divisions

The current Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party divisions are the following:

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!colspan="2" style="width:140px"|Division

!style="width:140px"|Leader

!Legislative Assembly

!Legislative Council

!Status

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

| Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (NSW)

| Robert Borsak

|{{Composition bar|0|93|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|{{Composition bar|2|42|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| {{no2|Crossbench}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (Victoria)

|Jeff Bourman

|{{Composition bar|0|88|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|{{Composition bar|1|40|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| {{no2|Crossbench}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (WA)

|Rick Mazza

|{{Composition bar|0|59|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|{{Composition bar|0|36|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| {{no|Extra-parliamentary}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (QLD)

|

|{{Composition bar|0|93|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

| None

| {{no|Extra-parliamentary}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (Tasmania)

|Adrian Pickin{{cite web |title=The people of Tasmania deserve the respect to know that the house of review has their best interest at the forefront. I will do this! |url=https://twitter.com/PhillipBiggSFF/status/1774748594823975149 |website=Twitter |publisher=Phillip Bigg SFF |date=1 April 2024}}

|{{Composition bar|0|25|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|{{Composition bar|0|15|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party (ACT)

|

|{{Composition bar|0|25|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|None

|{{no|Extra-parliamentary}}

style="width:2px;background:{{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}};"|

|Shooters and Fishers Party (NT)

|

|{{composition bar|0|25|hex={{party color|Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party}}}}

|None

| {{no|Extra-parliamentary}}

Electoral results

=Federal=

class="wikitable sortable"

|+Senate

Election year

! # of
overall votes

! % of
overall vote

! # of
overall seats

! +/–

!Name of party
(at time of poll)

1993

| 63,691

| 0.60

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters Party

1996

| 114,724

| 1.05

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters Party

1996

| 38,188

| 0.34

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Australian Shooters Party

2007

| 84,148

| 0.66

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Australian Shooters Party (Vic, QLD, SA)
Shooters / Fishing and Lifestyle (NSW)

2010

| 214,119

| 1.68

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters and Fishers

2013

| 127,397

| 0.95

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters and Fishers

2016

| 192,965

| 1.39

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers

2019

| 253,267

| 1.73

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers

2022

| 147,737

| 0.98

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers

2025

| 59,434

| 0.37

| {{Composition bar|0|76|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers

=New South Wales=

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2" | Election year

! colspan="4" | Legislative Assembly

! colspan="5" | Legislative Council

# votes

! % votes

! # seats

! +/–

! # votes

! % votes

! # seats

! # overall seats

! +/–

1995

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|99|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 95,943

| 2.84

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 1

1999

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 59,295

| 1.67

| {{Composition bar|0|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2003

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 76,133

| 2.05

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2007

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 106,513

| 2.79

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 1

2011

| 2,346

| 0.06

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 150,741

| 3.70

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2015

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 167,871

| 3.89

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2019

| 157,636

| 3.46

| {{Composition bar|3|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 3

| 246,477

| 5.54

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2023

| 73,359

| 1.53

| {{Composition bar|0|93|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{decrease}} 3

| 144,043

| 3.06

| {{Composition bar|1|21|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|42|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

=Victoria=

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2" | Election year

! colspan="4" | Legislative Assembly

! colspan="5" | Legislative Council

# votes

! % votes

! # seats

! +/–

! # votes

! % votes

! # seats

! # overall seats

! +/–

2014

| 2,622

| 0.08

| {{Composition bar|0|88|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 0

| 56,536

| 1.65

| {{Composition bar|2|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|2|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 2

2018

| 24,257

| 0.69

| {{Composition bar|0|88|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{increase}} 0

| 108,280

| 3.02

| {{Composition bar|1|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{decrease}} 1

2022

| 11,590

| 0.32

| {{Composition bar|0|88|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{decrease}} 0

| 76,742

| 2.05

| {{Composition bar|1|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|40|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{decrease}} 1

=Western Australia=

class="wikitable"
rowspan="2" | Election year

! colspan="4" | Legislative Assembly

! colspan="5" | Legislative Council

# votes

! % votes

! # seats

! +/–

! # votes

! % votes

! # seats

! # overall seats

! +/–

2013

| -

| -

| {{Composition bar|0|59|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 21,765

| 1.78

| {{Composition bar|1|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{gain}} 1

2017

| 17,317

| 1.31

| {{Composition bar|0|59|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 31,924

| 2.37

| {{Composition bar|1|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|1|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

2021

| 9,669

| 0.69

| {{Composition bar|0|59|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{steady}} 0

| 21,210

| 1.47

| {{Composition bar|0|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{Composition bar|0|36|hex=#E52B50}}

| {{loss}} 1

Political representatives

=Current members of parliament=

==New South Wales==

===Legislative Council===

==Victoria==

=Past members of parliament=

;New South Wales

;Victoria

;Western Australia

See also

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

  • [https://www.shootersfishersandfarmers.org.au/ Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party]
  • Swain, Marie.(1996) Gun control : historical perspective and contemporary overview Sydney, NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service, 1996. {{ISBN|0-7310-5951-4}}. Series: Briefing paper (New South Wales. Parliamentary Library Research Service) ; no. 11/96

{{Australian political parties}}

{{New South Wales political parties}}

{{Political parties in Victoria (Australia)}}

{{Government of New South Wales}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Conservative parties in Australia

Category:Green conservative parties

Category:Gun politics in Australia

Category:Hunting organizations

Category:Political parties established in 1992

Category:Recreational political parties

Category:Political parties in New South Wales

Category:Political parties in Victoria (state)

Category:Political parties in Western Australia