HUNTFEST THE GREENS AND INSULATED MILLINERY

A couple of weeks back I blogged on the economic costs associated with Greens’ efforts to sabotage HuntFest, the rural outdoors & hunting expo in Narooma NSW.  An expurgated version was also published by the Bega District News.

This week and quite reasonably I might add, the Bega District News published a response by Greens MP David Shoebridge.

As is the custom of the Greens, Shoebridge did not answer a single question I’d posed in my opinion piece, nor did he refute any of my claims. In fact, he verified a number of them, an act of unaccustomed generosity for which I will be eternally grateful.

Mr. Shoebridge did, however, make a number of claims of his own, which, it must be said, betray a concerning lack of aluminium foil in his hat. 

My response to his latest and strikingly unoriginal conspiracy theories may be found below.  Whether it will be published in the local paper, only time will tell. In the meantime...

Dear Editor,

I’d just read David Shoebridge’s response to my opinion piece of June 4th, when I said to myself, “Self”, I said, “what have you done for the Greens, that they’d want to give you an early Chrissy pressy?”

Where oh where to begin? Eeny meeny miny ‘immoderate’. Mr. Shoebridge accuses me of intemperate language and emotionally charged hyperbole. Now don’t that beat all?

This from a man who refers to HuntFest variously as an “arms fair” a “celebration of killing” an “attempt to arm the community” and the latest, a “gun expo.”

A man who not so very long ago and in this very publication, referred to hunters as “thrill killers”, “weekend cowboys”, “rednecks” and “followers of the killing culture”. Sorry, my mistake, “the American-style killing and guns culture.” It’s important both that I do not misquote David and that I acknowledge his deep disdain for Americans.

There were a total of 57 exhibits at HuntFest 2015, one of which sold guns. 

The bulk of exhibits related to boats, fishing, camping, archery, all terrain vehicles, navigational aids, tanning, outdoor smokers and BBQ equipment, home preserving, binoculars and scopes, knife making, still & video photography; there was even a working smithy.

But you go for it David. No emotionally charged hype in calling HuntFest an arms fair or a gun expo.

“Propaganda and vitriol doesn’t serve the public” you say. Look, I think I’ll leave that alone. Anyone who’s kept up with correspondence from supporters of the Greens and SAFE knows I’m a rank amateur.   Or perhaps a gun expo?

Yes, HuntFest was sponsored by the Sporting Shooters Association NSW this year. Last year it wasn’t, nor the year before. Next year, who knows?

Perhaps you could give the organisers a list of non-genetically modified, environmentally friendly, certified organic fair trade, carbon-negative, fuel efficient, solar-powered-vegan sponsors to be going on with? 

But let’s face facts, David, HuntFest could be sponsored by the Country Women’s Association and you’d still get all cross.

It seems you’re miffed because HuntFest has changed and grown over the past 3 years. Far be it from the Greens to commend initiative and success. Perhaps you could share a list of festivals that have not evolved in response to lessons learned and response to public demand? 

The Narooma Oyster Festival for instance, no amendments to its licence/permits I suppose?  Actually, it’s my advice that other events have sought many more amendments to their permits than HuntFest, in their second and successive years.

As for HuntFest “morphing”, didn’t the Greens’ Animals in the Wild photo competition morph its little hempen socks off to become a vehicle for promulgating a political ideology, undermining a festival organised and financed by a local not-for-profit sports club and feeding minority community dissent by attracting media attention to the controversies the Greens ignite and fan?

If anyone’s guilty of bringing the South Coast into disrepute, it’s you David, with your self-serving media harlotry.

Incidentally, the definition of jihad is “a war or struggle against unbelievers”. You seem to imply its use was unwarranted?

You claim HuntFest’s growth is part of a grand conspiracy. Do you have evidence to share or are you just channelling Fox Mulder?

If so, trust me, you’re going to need a better haircut and a much sharper suit.

You say “Greens councillor Gabi Harding with a great level of foresight got council to agree to a public consultation if the licence conditions were amended again”. Isn’t it the case that public consultation was the usual course in such circumstances and Councillor Harding did not in fact get Council to do anything that wasn’t already a matter of process?

Really, David, credit where credit’s due and all that, but next you’ll be claiming Narooma had a bridge alright, but it was Gabi who got the river!

Hip-pip hurray! You have finally revealed the truth about the 80% community opposition the Greens and SAFE have been selling the media. 

I see it’s now 81.5% (that would be statistic creep), but at least you have admitted publicly that the percentage relates only to the number of submissions received by Council during the consultation we’ve just established the Greens didn’t instigate. 

That’s a total of 166 HuntFest opponents as you say, or just a hair over .4 of 1% of the Eurobodalla community. Not “80% of the community” (or 27,384) as the Greens and SAFE have very widely promoted.

You mentioned hyperbole in your response, did you not, David?

I’m also very grateful for the clarification about the petition of 940 signatures from the “electorate of Bega” presented to the Legislative Assembly. 

Now David, I know you’re a busy man, what with your crusade against Australia’s wrong thinking majority and the search for the perfect half-caf, double-tall, non fat, whole-milk foam, bone-dry, half-pump mocha, half sugar in the raw, double cup, no lid, cappuccino....to go, so you can’t possibly be expected to know every little thing. But here’s something that as a politician you should probably try to get under your belt.

The electorate of Bega encompasses both Bega Valley and Eurobodalla shires and their main population centres of Bega, Tathra, Merimbula, Eden, Bemboka, Moruya, Batemans Bay and of course Narooma. 

Now it might just be my dodgy grasp of geography, but I could have sworn Bega, Tathra, Merimbula, Eden and Bemboka were not actually in the Eurobodalla.

Yet in your response to me, you complain that “the gun lobby organised its (out of area) people to flood the consultation” clearly indicating, as SAFE has done, that people outside the Eurobodalla should not be given sway over Eurobodalla’s decisions regarding HuntFest.

I’m sure the reason is staring me in the face, David, but could you tell me why pro-HuntFest submissions from outside the Eurobodalla should be disregarded, but anti-HuntFest signatures from outside the Eurobodalla are just the ticket?

By the way, the electorate of Bega boasts a population of 67,586, making the views of your 950 signatories a majority of 1.4%. 

Dave - I may call you Dave by now, mayn’t I? - I’m having trouble comprehending your concept of majority opposition.

While I think of it, Dave, I must confess I am remiss in failing to welcome you to the Eurobodalla. 

Clearly you have relocated to the area, along with the ABC film crew you invited to visit HuntFest. I mean, you wouldn’t be engaging in the debate if you weren’t a resident, would you? Not after complaining (along with SAFE) that people from outside the Eurobodalla should butt out. 

Surely a paragon of virtuous political representation such as your good self wouldn’t dream of using the national broadcaster to bring the wrath of your albeit marginal national support down upon the residents of Narooma.

Not only would that be hypocrisy, but tantamount to bullying, given SAFE’s very clearly articulated objections to foreign busybodies.  

So welcome, Dave. And of course the ABC...possibly the Herald and the Canberra Times. Oh, and the 40,000 Latvian, Uzbekistani and  Ibiruvian signatories to the anti-HuntFest petition Cr. Harding presented to Council, whose resettlement in the Eurobodalla is no-doubt imminent.

Welcome! 

You say “Narooma is a peaceful and tolerant town renowned for a love of nature rather than a love of hunting and killing.” I think you’ll find Narooma is a farming and fishing community.

Now you might want to stand clear of sharp corners before reading on, but the fact is the fishies, the bah-lambs and moo-moo-cows don’t shed their flesh annually in order to feed you city folks.

They’re killed, Dave, and it ain’t voluntary euthanasia.

Some are even eaten by Eurobodalla residents, shhhh!

“Gun dealers lobbied for HuntFest in Narooma to promote a gun culture and put more weapons into circulation”, and I’ll bet the buggers did it all from a grassy knoll?

Dave, these grand conspiracy theories of yours, while doubtless very troubling to you, are a bit like the voices old son, they’re not real!

It’s a bit like me looking at your support for legalised marijuana and claiming the Greens have striven for representation on every Shire Council to promote a drugs culture and get more bongs in circulation.

It’s silly, Dave, really-really silly!

You quote a fellow by the name of Peter Fitzsimons, I assume because he’s famous and in quoting his apparent disdain for HuntFest you believe the simple country folk will be swayed by celebrity disapproval?

Because I’m not really au fait with the gentleman’s reputation and accomplishments, I brought Google to bear as one does in this age of technological marvels, and I have a question.

Is this the paragon of virtue who reportedly got so drunk and boorish at a childhood cancer support charity gala he started eating food off other guests’ plates and as a consequence was asked not to return?

Now Dave, it has been fun ‘til now (really, lots of fun) but here’s where I have to get a bit serious.

It appears that like you, Mr. Fitzsimons doesn’t like America, what with your apparent shared belief that association with 'Alabama' is a humiliating analogy sufficient to cause a community to shun HuntFest. 

Perhaps there are people who will think his analogy clever, but here’s the rub, Dave, and I’ll do you this little favour because I hate to see a man open his mouth only to change feet.

Regardless of whether it’s referring to “crazy Arabs”, “lazy blacks” or “rednecks from Alabama”, invoking negative cultural stereotypes with a view to denigrating people is what’s known as bigotry and it smacks of xenophobia.

It’s not clever, David, it’s puerile and low and the fact you think it a thing worthy of deploying in your defence says a lot about the Greens’ cherry-picking approach to cultural tolerance, not to mention the calibre of its representatives these days.

Again, thankyou for verifying that the level of community support for the anti-HuntFest movement is not 80% but in fact .4 of 1% as I have previously stated, and that SAFE is not concerned about support garnered from beyond the Eurobodalla when it furthers their cause.

Anyway, I'll get outaya way now...

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