WA election 2025: ‘War on weekend’: Nationals launch anti-Labor campaign on guns laws, fishing and 4WD

Labor has been accused of waging a war on the weekend, with the Opposition set to launch a campaign ahead of the three-day break slamming the Government’s “reckless, ideologically driven decisions”. In a social media campaign to be launched ahead of the long weekend on Friday, Nationals leader Shane Love will claim the Labor Government’s failure on fishing, four-wheel driving and firearms are an attack on “hardworking families who just want to enjoy their time off”. “WA Labor is waging a war on our very way of life, taking away and attacking aspects of life that define our weekends as quintessentially Australian,” Mr Love said. “Since when has it been core business of Government to reach into your weekend and tell you how you can spend it? Labor are so focused on taking your fishing rod and keys, they’ve forgotten how to do their job. “Whether it’s fishing, off-road driving, or owning a firearm, Labor’s crusade against the weekend is a direct attack on hardworking families who just want to enjoy their time off.” Mr Love and the Nationals opposed the Government’s firearm reforms, accusing Labor of vilifying legal gun owners. Under the reforms, to be implemented in March, owners will be limited to between five and 10 guns. Police Minister Paul Papalia argued the gun laws were widely supported by the public, with a buyback seeing 40,000 guns handed into police. On four-wheel driving, Mr Love said the Government had neglected legislative reforms and infrastructure, leading to calls for bans in Albany, Esperance and Gingin. “Labor is happy to blame off road vehicle users for the condition of these areas, while refusing to fund the facilities and maintenance needed to keep these areas open and well-managed,” he said. “And if that wasn’t enough, Federal Labor’s ‘ute tax’ is set to add thousands to the cost of new utes, pricing families and small businesses out of their vehicles.” “Labor want’s to penalise WA families for driving a bloody ute. Frankly, that’s un-Australian.” The party will also point to changes to national parks access — including the closure of Horizontal Falls in the Kimberley — as a failure of the Government. He also criticised what he called a lack of consultation on fishing reforms, including new marine parks.