Lieutenant General Lawrence (Laurie) O’Donnell AC had a very distinguished military career before accepting an invitation to be President of the National Rifle Association of Australia (NRAA). His appointment continued a long standing tradition of senior linkages between the sport and military.
As President between 1990-2007, Laurie provided governance advice to the NRAA Board and to the Council of State and Territory Rifle Associations. His involvement helped to improve relationships between the State and National bodies and ultimately saw the NRAA transition from an outdated model to a Company Limited by Guarantee. This structure was designed to provide the sport with a Board that acted independently of bias from the State associations, a key principle which Laurie championed for the betterment of the sport. The NRAA later appointed Laurie as Patron then Vice-Patron of the NRAA for several years.
Laurie did not just limit his involvement in shooting to the NRAA. He was Canberra Rifle Club President between 1991-2007, then Patron between 2009 – 2018. Laurie again showed that he was keen to be hands on when the ACT Association achieved statehood under the NRAA Constitution. This meant that in the year 2000 at Bendigo the ACT Rifle Team began its now regular participation in the National Teams Matches. Laurie was the first ACT Team Captain. Laurie was a regular presenter at the NRAA Queen’s Prize in Canberra and then the ACT Queen’s Prize after the transition in 2005.
Laurie was also a regular visitor to the NSW Rifle Association championships, often being called upon to present trophies and to meet with Her Excellency, Professor Marie R Bashir AC, the late former Governor of New South Wales. Laurie was also Chair of the Council of NSW Firearms Safety & Training for a period during the 1990s, assisting to develop programs advocating sport shooting safety and competency for the benefit of aligned shooting organisations.
In 2000, Laurie was selected as Captain of the Australian Rifle Team which travelled to Bisley, UK to compete in the Kolapore Match and other international matches. The team then travelled to Canada and competed bravely in the Australia Match, losing by a single point on the last shot of the match. Laurie was accompanied by his wife June, and they enjoyed many pleasant social gatherings with the rifle shooting fraternity in both UK and Canada. Laurie returned to Bisley in 2003 as a guest of the NRA of UK to present trophies at the Long Range World Championships.
BISLEY 2003, World Long Range Championship. 1000 yards aggregate gold medal goes to Robert Rush of the Australian Team. Being presented by NRAA President Lt. Gen. Laurie O’ Donnell.
