Firearms licence support for customary hunting

The introduction of the new Firearms Act 2024 created uncertainty about how Noongar people could continue to obtain and maintain firearms licences for customary hunting purposes.

The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation worked with members and WA Police to develop a pathway that recognises customary hunting rights within the new firearms licensing system.

Aboriginal people in Western Australia have the right to undertake customary hunting on most CALM Act managed lands, including with the use of licensed firearms.

Generally, and in relation to 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

The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation worked with the WA Police to develop a pathway to ensure that members could continue to practice their customary hunting rights and obligations under s.103A of the CALM Act.

The Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation is now registered to provide Written Authorities in the WA Police Firearms Licensing Portal confirming that a person is a member of the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation. The WA Police will accept these Written Authorities as evidence that the person has a valid reason to hold a firearms licence. Members may know this process as obtaining a "Property Letter".

To request that the Ballardong Aboriginal Corporation add a Written Authority to your firearms licence application, please complete the details below and we will be in touch.