THE legal age for shooting a paintball gun is expected to be dropped to 12 early next year.

The Australian Paintball Association met Police Minister Michael Daley last month to discuss the proposed changes to the law. Under the current standard, players must be over 16 to play skirmish in NSW.

AUPBA president Leon Bubenicek is pushing for a national standard.

The industry wants to lower the legal age to replicate standards in other states and countries. Paintball was banned in Tasmania after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

The ACT has a minimum age 16, while in Victoria it is 18.

Originally published as Paintball poised for law change