Thread: Rifle range in Hastings in trouble ?

It’s behind a pay wall so can’t see the article, but doesn’t sound good?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-ba...IRTUJVOXCHFBQ/

from friendface:

"Rivers To Ranges

URGENT NOTICE
Both of the HBRC Rifle RANGES are NOW
closed and cannot be booked or used
Until further NOTICE……
We will endeavour to bring them up to the new legislative standards as soon as we are able..
We are sorry for this inconvenience to the hunting and shooting public of HB
Regards
Jeremy Hanaray and the RTR team"

Sounds like they hit a mine in the minefield.

And yet it is very likely that it has operated safely for decades.

The inspectors sound like really nice people,who are " just doing their job".

Or not.

We had no leniency given to us and had a spot inspection. They basically said because we hadn’t completed the work we were going to do in a timely manner - they threw me under the bus and implied I was breaking the law by operating the range, and that would be on my shoulders.”

Hanaray also cited the scrutinising new rules as a frustration. He said he had been penalised for trying to go further than was expected.

“Because we wanted to be better than just ticking the box, we gave it a huge ‘DANGER, NO ACCESS, LIVE FIRING’ sign, with additional info.”

Once a sign was made and erected, the spot inspection found that it didn’t directly state that when the red flag is up, that meant live firing, therefore it was not acceptable.


“Common sense doesn’t prevail any longer.”

That sounds like there is a lead into this, that it might be helpful to outline. There are a few in here who have navigated or are in the process of doing so.
My feeling is that things that don't fit their prescriptive examples tend to cause then consternation.

That particular "range" fulfills a valuable role for casual shooters round here. Without it, many would be sighting in or testing in river beds, etc

Originally Posted by norsk

The inspectors sound like really nice people,who are " just doing their job".

Or not.

We had no leniency given to us and had a spot inspection. They basically said because we hadn’t completed the work we were going to do in a timely manner - they threw me under the bus and implied I was breaking the law by operating the range, and that would be on my shoulders.”

Hanaray also cited the scrutinising new rules as a frustration. He said he had been penalised for trying to go further than was expected.

“Because we wanted to be better than just ticking the box, we gave it a huge ‘DANGER, NO ACCESS, LIVE FIRING’ sign, with additional info.”

Once a sign was made and erected, the spot inspection found that it didn’t directly state that when the red flag is up, that meant live firing, therefore it was not acceptable.


“Common sense doesn’t prevail any longer.”

Our range sign just says
Danger range in use. Doesn’t mention red flags!!!!

Originally Posted by Rushy

And yet it is very likely that it has operated safely for decades.

That’s not the point! You shalt do as your told

Originally Posted by Maca49

That’s not the point! You shalt do as your told

I guess I am just becoming a grumpy old prick. I am sick and tired of the degree of health and safety overreach and the numpties that administer it and on a separate note, I am fed up with officialdom telling me what I can and can’t do. From my old man on up, my hands on pioneering ancestors would be spinning in their graves if the knew just how much our society had been dumbed down and over regulated. And while I am at it, despite all of the orange vested, coned off dickheads we now have to suffer, people are still having accidents and fuck me they learn from them just like we always did.

Sounds odd if they had there range inspection and received there range certificate then it all should have been sorted then as there is a map with where the signs are placed and what is on them, bit worried about ours now

Might be a good time for Ms McKee to step in on their behalf , now that ACT have more political clout .

She's still an official nobody til the negotiations have finished

Originally Posted by country cuts

Sounds odd if they had there range inspection and received there range certificate then it all should have been sorted then as there is a map with where the signs are placed and what is on them, bit worried about ours now

I am not personally involved in this range at all outside of a conversation I had ages ago about suitable backstops for "large" projectile capture, suitable backstop depths, angled steel deflector plates, etc.

Anyways, and I have no idea if this is the case, but they may not have received their certificate - but were having their application reviewed by FSA with an improvement notice being issued (or possibly improvements being noted on their range inspection) with a specified time frame (e.g. you can continue to operate but we want to see "these" improvements within "this" time frame to be able to issue your range certificate). Then comes the spot inspection...

Originally Posted by Gillie

I am not personally involved in this range at all outside of a conversation I had ages ago about suitable backstops for "large" projectile capture, suitable backstop depths, angled steel deflector plates, etc.

Anyways, and I have no idea if this is the case, but they may not have received their certificate - but were having their application reviewed by FSA with an improvement notice being issued (or possibly improvements being noted on their range inspection) with a specified time frame (e.g. you can continue to operate but we want to see "these" improvements within "this" time frame to be able to issue your range certificate). Then comes the spot inspection...

Greetings @Gillie,
I think that you have nailed it. I have only been to the range once and that some years ago so I don't know what work has been done. There was no backstop to speak of and open river bed in the danger area. That said there is a chronic need in Hawkes Bay for a 100 to 300 metre rifle range that the average hunter can use. A few months ago we had a presentation at our NZDA from Tod McClay and the two local candidates, now MP's. I made the point that the pressing need was for a decent Rifle Range along the lines of that at Tauranga. This is beyond the ability of one person or one club to achieve if they are starting from scratch.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by grandpamac

Greetings @Gillie,
I think that you have nailed it. I have only been to the range once and that some years ago so I don't know what work has been done. There was no backstop to speak of and open river bed in the danger area. That said there is a chronic need in Hawkes Bay for a 100 to 300 metre rifle range that the average hunter can use. A few months ago we had a presentation at our NZDA from Tod McClay and the two local candidates, now MP's. I made the point that the pressing need was for a decent Rifle Range along the lines of that at Tauranga. This is beyond the ability of one person or one club to achieve if they are starting from scratch.
Regards Grandpamac.

The range I provided some small advice to sounded like it was in a quarry? So might be a different range we are talking about @grandpamac