12/06/2026
An update on Permit wait times from our friends at HVTM Outdoors. Definitely worth a read if you are thinking about applying for a Permit to Acquire or changing/upgrading your genuine reasons and categories.
EDIT: Hey team, Mel here.
I’m turning the comments off on this post for now.
We understand this is a very confronting subject for many of our community, and we appreciate that people have strong feelings on the matter. However, I’ve been accused of deleting comments on this post, and I want to clarify that this simply isn’t the case.
When these update posts gain a lot of traction, I honestly don’t have the time to sit there monitoring comments, let alone deleting them. We strongly believe in respectful discussion and freedom of speech.
Unfortunately, Facebook’s community standards often automatically hide, remove, or restrict comments relating to fi****ms and political topics. This is outside of our control, and comments can disappear without us manually moderating them.
At the end of the day, these posts are intended to provide current information to the community. I simply don’t have the mental bandwidth to deal with accusations over something that is beyond our control.
Thanks to everyone who continues to engage respectfully and support constructive discussion.
✌️
FI****MS REGISTRY UPDATE
We spoke with the Fi****ms Registry this morning and were advised that current processing timeframes are now:
• PTA Applications – 120 days (4 months)
• New Fi****ms Licence Applications – 120 days (4 months)
• Adding a Genuine Reason or Category – 270 days (just shy of 9 months)
The explanation provided was that there are currently approximately 14,000 applications pending.
Let's take a moment to think about that.
If any other taxpayer-funded government department had a backlog of this size and was taking up to 9 months to process straightforward administrative applications, would it be considered acceptable?
We understand that 22 new staff have recently been hired and that training takes time. However, these delays have been building for years and continue to impact law-abiding fi****ms owners, clubs, businesses, primary producers and new licence applicants across NSW.
Mark and Mel also met with Clayton Barr again this week to discuss the current situation and receive an update. Regardless of your political views, Clayton has been a great support to us throughout this process and has continued to engage with both industry and shooters regarding their concerns. We appreciate the time and effort he has put into understanding the issues facing our community.
The Fi****ms Registry is an essential public service funded by taxpayers and licence holders. We believe the current system is no longer fit for purpose and requires significant reform. Whether that means a standalone agency, privatisation, or another model entirely, something needs to change.
At the end of the day, the current situation is simply not good enough.
If you would like your concerns heard, we encourage you to contact your local MP through the appropriate channels. As always, the most effective conversations are polite, respectful and factual. Constructive feedback is far more likely to achieve positive outcomes than anger or abuse.
We'll continue pushing for answers and advocating for practical solutions on behalf of our customers and the wider fi****ms community.
****mslawupdate
