The peak body for the firearms industry has denied “threatening” Premier Mark McGowan after taking out an advertisement criticising the State Government’s decision to close gun shops and firearm dealerships.

In an exclusive interview with The West Live host Jenna Clarke, Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) spokeswoman Laura Patterson said the industry had been completely blind-sided by the government’s directive which has a “range of unintended consequences”.

She said the sudden closure of gun shops meant that some “placard loads” — carrying dangerous goods such as firearms and ammunition — cannot be received now and are stuck on the road.

“I don’t think asking the Premier to rein in a bolted horse is a veiled threat but there are risks which are apparent in WA now because licenced firearms dealers’ doors have been shut,” Ms Patterson told Ms Clarke.

“It is not a threat to raise those risks and to ask those risks be considered calmly and cohesively and comprehensively in consultation with industry experts.”

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The SIFA ad, which was published over the weekend in The Sunday Times, condemns the State Government for “punitive and counterproductive firearms business closures that put Australians at risk”.

“Premier, rein it in before we’re all sorry,” it continues.

Mr McGowan fired up at a press conference yesterday where he labelled the ad “quite frankly disgusting”.

“I'm not going to be threatened or intimidated by the actions of anyone,” he said.

“My responsibility is to the people of Western Australia. Taking out an ad like that, and issuing a veiled threat to not just me, but my fellow West Australians, is completely out of line.”

Ms Patterson urged the Premier should “come to the table more collaboratively”, saying SIFA had not been included in any collaborative conversations with the WA Government for the last four years.

She also said many gun shops were “mum and dad businesses” who have not had the opportunity to make arrangements for their own staff or for their freight.

“Occasionally, there is a requirement for organisations like ours to put our head above the parapet and say Premier, please rein in this bolting horse,” Ms Patterson said.

“We’re happy to work on arrangements to make sure placarded loads can be appropriately received.”