The march to having airsoft legalised in Australia continues and it is now getting stronger. Western Australia is where the action is right now for the campaign of Australian airsoft enthusiasts from the Western Australian Airsoft Club (WAAC) to have their sport recognized. Just yesterday we posted news that Aaron Stonehouse, MLC who got elected to the Western Australia Legislative Council under the Liberal Democrats, launched the campaign to have airsoft legalised in the state.

Whilst they are working on getting more grassroots and political support, another thing that the WAAC needs right now is international support. With airsoft legal in most countries, and almost the whole Western world, Australia is left behind in this sport. In this regard, they have discussed cooperation with the United Kingdom Airsoft Players’ Union (UKAPU), one of the better organised airsoft players’ organisations in the world. Finally, this month they have formalised and agreement of affiliation between the organisations.

Press release from UKAPU on this affiliation, as sent by Jon Hill, the new UKAPU Press Officer, can be read here:

WESTERN AUSTRALIA AIRSOFT CLUB & UK AIRSOFT PLAYERS UNION AFFILIATE
Australian and British players team up to fight for airsoft

UK Airsoft Players Union and Western Australia Airsoft Club officially ‘tied the knot’ this month! The two organisations elected to officially affiliate, in recognition of their shared aims and values and in a show of international solidarity amongst airsoft players. Australia operates under common law which comes from in the UK, yet, in stark contrast to the UK, Airsoft is banned. WAAC has it’s work cut out for it in trying to get the ban lifted in a single state of Australia, with the hope that the other states will follow. The UKAPU committee was very impressed by the competence and commitment of the WAAC team and have confidence in their ability to lead the fledgeling Australian airsoft community toward accomplishing this mammoth task.

“I am happy to announce that UKAPU is affiliated with Western Australia Airsoft Club, Inc.

The organisation is run by a few passionate individuals who are committed to getting Airsoft legalised within the state of Western Australia - and eventually propagating it throughout the rest of the country.

We've been supporting them for some time now. Their campaign is picking up momentum and good progress has already been made in their endeavour."

- David Weston, UKAPU Chairman

WAAC have already made some significant headway.

They met with the Shadow Minister for Police, who stated that he was “embarrassed with the legislative regime” regarding the provisions of the Firearms Act being applied to the sport of Airsoft.

Successfully ran a ‘Nerf gun amnesty’ campaign which caused a stir in local media regarding nonsensical firearms legislation in WA.

This week they will be meeting with the State Minister for Police, the first ever airsoft group to be granted an audience.

For more information on the WAAC campaign please visit http://airsoftwa.com.au and like their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AirsoftWA/ and ask your Aussie mates to do so too, they really need the support of locals who may want to play airsoft in the future!

It’s really a call to action for airsoft communities and organisations around the world to help expand the beachhead that is being established in Western Australia. If airsoft gets legalised in Western Australia, it is seen that the other states in the country will follow. If you want to make a video or statement of support to help the WAAC in their campaign, then better get in touch with them so it and they can add it to their website and documentation needed when they lobby at the state government level.

Hopefully, we get to see airsoft being played on Australian soil openly and legally soon.