Australian governments regularly speak about the need to strengthen regional economies, support outdoor recreation and build domestic industries, yet one sector remains largely absent from serious policy consideration despite being an economic powerhouse – Australia’s shooting and hunting industry.
Shooting and hunting are not simply recreational pastimes, they form part of a national outdoor culture with deep roots in Australia’s rural history and community life. They also support a legitimate economic sector that generates employment, tourism, regional spending and conservation outcomes.
The problem is not that the sector lacks economic relevance, it is that governments and regulators rarely recognise or engage with it as an industry at all.
An Overlooked Economic Contributor
Economic modelling undertaken prior to the pandemic estimated that Australia’s recreational hunting and sports shooting sector conservatively contributed $2.4 billion to the national economy and supported around 19,500 full time equivalent jobs.
That contribution is generated through a broad and interconnected supply chain. It includes firearms importers, wholesalers and retailers, licensed dealers, shooting ranges, gunsmiths, training providers, pest management contractors, tourism operators and sporting organisations. Many of these businesses operate in regional communities, where they support local employment and form part of the broader economic fabric.
Despite this, policy discussions about firearms in Australia rarely acknowledge the sector’s economic footprint. The industry is almost exclusively considered through a public safety lens.
I do not deny that public safety is a legitimate and necessary concern, however, when regulation is developed without recognising the economic ecosystem surrounding a lawful industry, governments risk undermining legitimate businesses and regional employment without properly understanding the consequences.
International Comparisons
Australia is far from unique in having a strong hunting and shooting culture, what tends to differ, is the degree to which governments recognise the sector as an economic and environmental asset.
In the United States more than 50 million people participate in hunting and fishing each year, generating over US$200 billion in economic activity and supporting more than 1.5 million jobs.
The sector is actively recognised as part of the country’s outdoor economy with revenue generated through licences, equipment taxes and conservation programs, funding wildlife management and habitat protection initiatives across the country.
European jurisdictions operate similar models, with regulated hunting programs contributing to conservation funding, land management and rural tourism. In these countries hunting and shooting are recognised as structured industries with measurable economic and environmental value.
Australia’s Untapped Outdoor Economy
Australia has many of the characteristics that have allowed outdoor recreation industries to flourish elsewhere. Vast landscapes, established shooting sport traditions and growing interest in outdoor activities provide a strong foundation for participation.
Participation in recreational shooting and hunting has increased over the past decade, with shooting organisations reporting membership growth and greater involvement in both sporting and hunting activities.
Australia also faces significant environmental challenges from invasive species. Feral pigs, deer, goats and rabbits impose substantial costs on agriculture and natural ecosystems each year. Hunting is not a complete solution to these problems, but it forms part of the broader pest management effort and provides an opportunity to connect outdoor recreation with practical land management outcomes.
Well regulated hunting also supports tourism and economic activity in regional communities. Countries such as New Zealand have demonstrated how structured hunting tourism can generate rural income while supporting conservation and pest management objectives. In Australia, however, these opportunities remain largely underdeveloped.
Compliance Rather Than Industry Development
One of the structural challenges facing the sector is that firearms policy is almost entirely administered through policing frameworks. As a result the policy lens applied to the industry is primarily regulatory and compliance focused. While some regulation is essential, this approach rarely incorporates economic development thinking.
Other sectors such as agriculture, fishing, tourism and outdoor recreation benefit from policy frameworks that include industry development strategies, promotion and government investment.
The shooting and hunting sector, by contrast, is rarely considered within economic portfolios despite generating measurable economic activity across retail, tourism and regional services. This creates a policy imbalance where regulatory burdens increase while industry development remains absent from government thinking.
A Legitimate Primary Industry
There is also a broader question about how Australia defines its primary industries. Hunting and shooting are often discussed purely as recreational activities, yet the available economic evidence suggests they function much more like a structured rural industry.
Jurisdictional studies provide a clear picture of how hunting expenditure supports regional economies.
Victoria offers one of the most detailed assessments. Research commissioned by the Victorian Government found that recreational hunting by licensed game hunters contributed around $356 million to the Victorian economy in 2019 and supported more than 3,100 full time equivalent jobs.
Importantly, the majority of this economic activity occurs outside metropolitan areas. Approximately 69 percent of hunting related expenditure occurs in regional Victoria, with towns such as Mansfield, Horsham, Wodonga and Bendigo receiving some of the strongest economic benefits.
New South Wales demonstrates a similar pattern. Research undertaken in 2020 by the NSW Department of Primary Industries showed that recreational hunting was NSW’s 5th largest primary industry and responsible for a $1.406 Billion in Gross State Product and support of 11,500 jobs across the NSW economy.
This spending supports a wide range of businesses including firearms retailers, outdoor equipment suppliers, accommodation providers, fuel stations, transport operators and hospitality businesses in regional communities.
Taken together these figures demonstrate that shooting and hunting behaves economically like a meaningful rural industry embedded within Australia’s regional economy.
The Post Pandemic Outdoor Economy
The COVID-19 period reinforced something outdoor communities already understood: when given the opportunity, people are drawn to activities that provide space, independence and a connection with nature.
Participation in camping, fishing, hiking and recreational shooting increased over this period as Australians looked for ways to spend more time outdoors. This renewed interest highlighted the broader economic value of outdoor recreation, with the benefits extending beyond the activity itself and into the regional communities that host those seeking outdoor experiences and adventure.
Governments have spoken extensively about strengthening regional economies, as a result of the amplified negative effects the pandemic had in these areas. Outdoor recreation industries, including hunting and shooting sports should be recognised as part of that conversation.
Moving the Conversation Forward
None of this requires abandoning Australia’s regulatory framework or compromising public safety. Australia already has a well established system of licensing, registration and responsible firearms ownership requirements. That framework can coexist with a more mature conversation about the industry’s economic role.
What is required is a shift in perspective. Rather than viewing shooting and hunting solely through a regulatory lens, policymakers should recognise the sector as a legitimate economic and cultural part of Australia’s broader outdoor economy.
If governments are serious about regional development, conservation outcomes and domestic industry growth, the shooting and hunting sector deserves a place in that policy discussion.
Ignoring the industry does not make it disappear. It simply means Australia continues to overlook an economic opportunity that other countries have already recognised.