From the Chairman

Deer people everywhere,

It seems that wherever we go in Australia and whatever issues and challenges we face, there are good ADA people prepared to stand up and represent the interests of hunting, of the deer and of the ADA.

During the past couple of months, we’ve had something happening in just about every state and territory of Australia where we have needed local knowledge and a local presence to represent us, and on every occasion we have found deer people ready and willing to do just that.

In Tasmania there have been important discussions about a new five-year deer management plan and a surprise state election. On both occasions locals stood up, provided ADA’s expertise and ensured that the interests of deer and deer hunters were well served.

In South Australia small groups of members have been working on a strategic reset of government and external relationships and have prepared a detailed submission into a parliamentary inquiry into bowhunting. Another group continues to work on organising and running the national hunting camps.

In Western Australia our volunteers continue to break new ground in unprecedented co-operation with government land managers on wild deer management.

In the Northern Territory, ADA’s small contingent flies the flag for public land hunting for game, playing a leading role in the Back Country Hunting initiative.

In Queensland there are members working on re-invigorating our engagement and education offerings and on pushing for better hunting access.

In New South Wales a committee has formed to organise a Hunter Education Course after an absence of a couple of years.

In the ACT the local branch continues to provide an engagement point for deer people and to support important federal initiatives like the Parliamentary Friends of Shooting group.

In Victoria the Hunter Education Committee continues to add new content to the Hunter Education Course after 35 years. As I write, another group is swinging into action to organise ADA’s public display at the Wild Deer Expo.

All of this work happens with the oversight of, but minimal direction from, the board. Our people all over the place know ADA’s values and they know what needs to be done and get on with doing it. When we talk about there being “one ADA” that’s really what we are talking about — yes, we are “one ADA” in an organisational sense (one legal entity) but it’s much more than that; wherever you go in Australia you will find the same ADA, the same great values, the same great sense of community, the same ‘can do’ attitude.

— Col Brumley,
chairman