NSWRA V Commonwealth re ANZAC Rifle Range Update

[Tman]

Hi All, an Update with regard to ANZAC Rifle Range V The Commonwealth

Please read the following; just posted earlier today to NSWRA members

12 December 2012.

IMPORTANT NEWS RELEASE REGARDING COURT PROCEEDINGS:-
“NSWRA Vs COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA”
ANZAC RIFLE RANGE.

Commonwealth’s Appeal against the judgement handed down in the NSW Supreme Court of White J dated 20 July 2012.

This morning in the NSW Court of Appeal we appeared for directions in the Commonwealths Appeal against the above judgement. I quote from notice just received from Mary Morrisroe, Lawyer (Hunt&Hunt) who appeared on our behalf.

“This morning I appeared on behalf of NSWRA before Registrar Riznyczol in the Court of Appeal. Ms Boomer appeared on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Ms Boomer was granted leave to file a notice of discontinuance in Court. The effect of the notice of discontinuance is that the Commonwealth has advised the Court that it does not intend to continue with the appeal. The proceedings have come to an end”.

THIS IS FANTASTIC NEWS AND A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY FOR NSWRA!

The Commonwealth has also agreed to settle costs awarded to NSWRA for the sum of $420,000-00. Whilst this amount falls far short of what we actually incurred in mounting our legal challenge, it is in fact reasonable in consideration that costs awarded on a party/party basis returns generally 60% to 70% to the successful litigant of what was actually spent in the process.

All in all, and I consider an understatement when saying we have come out of this with a great win for justice and a secure future for NSWRA!

We are at Anzac Rifle Range under the Terms of our License “until relocated to a suitable range” with the full legal ramifications of the NSW Supreme Court.

Accordingly I can now Wish Everyone “ A MOST MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH A BRIGHT LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR 2013” without the threat of our sport suffering the severe blow of termination at Anzac hanging over our heads.

John Fitzgerald, Chairman.

[Malcolm Hill]

An excellent result and outcome for everyone who is a member of any of the state associations. Hopefully it will send a firm message to anyone wanting to close down any ranges around the country.
Regards Malcolm.

[AlanF]

Great news!

[Razer]

This is indeed great news for the NSWRA as it at least has a headquarters, and NSWRA shooters in the Sydney area have a place to shoot.
The sad part is about what has taken place while the federal member for the area 'thought' that he had won.
Heck, he even jumped in and officially handed it over to the people.

I believe that the small bore range has been bulldozed, as well as the bench-rest area and all the stable complex?
I take it that the range can now only be used by the NSWRA?
This means that the SSAA are still without a range, the model aircraft enthusiasts are not allowed to fly their planes and, as for the riding school, well it is also 'kaput'.
This once well utilised area has had it's recreational use well and truly diminished, and all on the whim of a petty politician.

[macguru]

I have posted the news to the relevant Facebook group

http://www.facebook.com/groups/226961634055290/

[aaronraad]

Great news!

Let's hope the next generation of caretakers for the facility stay vigilant. Hopefully other sporting and recreational organisations will take some lessons from the event.

[Tman]

Great news about the Range, and a debt of gratitude to those involved in this great result.

The stables have gone, the old barracks buildings gone as well especially with regard to asbestos.

The Small-bore range and associated buildings, I am not sure about, as have been a member there, now shooting out at Cecil Park at the Olympic Centre, the interesting fact of the Small-bore range being on the other side of the fence that was put in, a gate provided but no key for access, even though in the agreement the Small-bore range and club was included with the NSWRA as users of the range.

At this point in time, this is a great result considering that this all started back in 1986 and the NSWRA is still there. We still have to be ever vigilant with regards to the machinations of the Government, this one or a new one, but our sport lives on for another day.

[AlanF]

Ben,

Thanks for keeping us posted on this. You obviously have a good handle on the whole situation there, but from what I've seen, the only realistic option down the track is to relocate, and for the sake of most of the ANZAC range shooters, the sooner the better, because the longer it takes, the further from Sydney are the site options.

Alan

[Tman]

The club that I belong to has a number of members that are apart of the safety manageement of the range and also the executive of the NSWRA, so alot of this information I receive is first-hand as it were. Ultimately, the Association is looking at the Olympic facility as a future home, with a fully baffled range similar to that used for the Commonwealth Games in India, the consultant that designed that range on hand providing expertise to the Association as required. The adjacent land at the Olympic facility is controlled by the NSW Government/Water Authority and this is where this range will extend into. There are certain issues with getting this land released as such, at State and Federal (Commonwealth) levels etc.