Firearm support letter

When the Western Australian Parliament made the new Firearms Act 2024, they forgot that Noongar people existed.

The Yued Aboriginal Corporation worked with members to identify the problems with the legislation and have been working directly with the WA Police to ensure that Noongar cultural hunting rights are protected and that Yued Noongar hunters do not lose their firearms licences because of the mistakes Parliament made when they changed the legislation.

Aboriginal people in Western Australia have the right to undertake customary hunting on most Conservation and Land Management Act managed lands, including with the use of licenced firearms.

Generally, and in relation to Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) managed lands, Aboriginal people can:

  • hunt animals without a firearm (for example, by trapping or snare) from areas that are more than 1km from carparks, sealed roads, designated camping sites and visitor areas, and not in urban land or a town site;

  • hunt animals with a firearms licence and a Category A firearm, such as an air rifle or a rim fire .22 rifle from areas that are more than 1.5km from carparks, sealed roads, designated camping sites and visitor areas, and not in urban land or a town site;

  • hunt animals with a firearms licence and a Category B firearm, such as a centre fire .22 or .223 rifle from areas that are more than 3km from carparks, sealed roads, designated camping sites and visitor areas, and not in urban land or a town site

These rights were overlooked by Parliament when the new legislation was made.

The Yued Aboriginal Corporation negotiated an outcome with the WA Police to ensure that Ballardong Noongar people could continue to practice their customary hunting rights and obligations under s.103A of the Conservation and Land Management Act.

The Yued Aboriginal Corporation can now provide a letter confirming that someone is a Yued Noongar Person, and the WA Police will accept this letter as evidence that person has a valid reason to hold a firearms licence.

To request a firearm support letter, please complete the form below and we will be in touch.

If you have any questions, please call us on 08 9420 7253 or email kaya@yued.org.au.