GOVERNMENT GUN SHOPS? The Victorian Greens have proposed a trial of 10 publicly owned supermarkets, arguing that essential groceries could become more affordable.

But what happens when we apply the same reasoning to something the Greens have not proposed: government-run firearms outlets? In this slightly satirical episode of Gun News Australia, we examine the supermarket proposal, the claimed savings, and the questions that any government retail scheme needs to answer – and take that one step further to see how we could end up with more gun shops. What would it cost? Who would pay? How would it operate? And how would success be measured? We also look at why firearms dealers face different licensing, security and recordkeeping obligations, and why the supermarket policy could be extended to keep the costs that we end up paying, down.

Subscribe to Gun News Australia for independent reporting on the upcoming Victorian and NSW State Elections: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership

Sources: Victorian Greens supermarket announcement (https://greens.org.au/news/media-release/vic-greens-take-coles-and-woolworths-public-supermarkets-30-essentials) and

ABC News reporting (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-08/victoria-greens-state-supermarkets-election-campaign/107239256).

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A BETTER WAY to regulate firearm use could cut red tape for shooting organisations, giving THEM more responsibility for licensing and range approvals — while limiting the role of police to conducting criminal-history checks.

It means bureaucrats would no longer be making decisions about something they know nothing about.

In this episode of Gun News Australia, we examine an accreditation model in which specialist shooting organisations could make technical decisions while government sets and enforces clear safety outcomes.

What would this mean for licensed shooters, clubs and ranges? We look at how sporting qualifications and lawful needs could inform decisions on lever-action and semi-automatic firearms, magazine capacities and remove any notion of firearm caps.

Appearance laws would also become a thing of the past.

We examine the comparison with electricity-network safety regulation, where operators manage serious technical risks under enforceable legal duties, audits and oversight. It’s a model of regulation called “safety case” management, which is used for other industries where there are risks managed by experts, such as aviation, pharmaceuticals and so on.

This is a proposal for review and a controlled pilot — not a removal of firearm laws.

Organisations could choose whether to participate, so the key decision will come down to efficiency for organisations, and not left with bureaucrats.

This model would remove unnecessary costs and red tape without affecting public safety outcomes. Tell us in the comments what your view of this is.

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VICTORIA VOTES in November — and licensed shooters still need clear answers about what the major parties intend to do on firearms and shooting policy.

IN THIS EPISODE, we’re joined by Danny Ryan from Sporting Clays Victoria to discuss what shooters should be asking before polling day and why the election campaign is the time to get commitments on the record.

Gun News Australia has written to Victorian Labor, the Liberal Party and The Nationals asking each for the same three practical commitments: support for international-standard shooting facilities, a statutory mechanism for early consultation on major firearms policy, and a structured review of unnecessary regulatory burdens on licensed shooters.

This episode is not about telling anyone how to vote. It is about getting clear answers before the election so shooters can assess the positions for themselves.

The Victorian state election is on Saturday 28 November 2026.

Support Gun News Australia through Patreon and help fund the FOI, legal and investigative work behind the stories at patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia

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