THE prestigious world clay target shooting championships being hosted in the Warrnambool region next week could be turned into a laughing stock because of red tape, it has been claimed.The Warrnambool branch of the Sporting Shooters Association of Australia will host more than 600 shooters from around the world at Laang, but concerns over the mixture of alcohol and guns have led to the prospect of the event being a dry show.A bid for a limited liquor licence for the visiting competitors and officials to celebrate after each day's shooting is bogged down because of issues between the club, the police and the liquor licensing commission. And there are concerns over the potential lethal cocktail of guns and booze. But South West Coast MP, Denis Napthine, told Parliament the only danger was that the event would be an international embarrassment without an alcohol licence.The shooting group said it had been trying to get Liquor Licensing application approval to serve alcohol since February, but those efforts had been frustrating.However, a Director of Liquor Licensing spokeswoman said the application for the limited liquor licence was made in late October after the club withdrew a previous application on October 26. “Victoria Police have objected to the limited liquor licence on a number of issues relating to the prevention of under-age drinking and the provision of security,” she said.“The Director of Liquor Licensing cannot consider the liquor licence until the club addresses the concerns expressed by Victoria Police.”The club also needs to produce a “suitable management plan” showing the separation of alcohol and shooting, according to the Government.The event, the Federation Internationale de Tir aux Armes Sportives de Chasse, has not been hosted in Australia for 15 years and is often held in Europe.Dr Napthine said the championships would attract 672 of the best shooters from 26 countries to Laang, about 35 kilometres east of Warrnambool.“But the local event organisers need urgent help from the State Government to ensure that they have a temporary limited liquor licence for this international event,” he told Parliament.“They keep being held up by administrative delays, technicalities, red tape and a shifting of the goal posts.“It would be a major blunder and a huge embarrassment for Victoria and Australia if these international visitors were not able to have a beer after a day’s competition or a local wine at the on-site dinner on Saturday night.“The event is being held in Italy next year and I can’t see the Italians having the same problems that are being experienced by the Warrnambool organisers. We risk being a world laughing stock.”Warrnambool branch president Stephen Chilton claimed liquor licensing conditions were continually being changed in an effort to stall the club.“They just keep putting on more and more conditions. We’ve been told we require fencing and security. We’re being treated like kids,” he said.Field and Game Federation of Australia national director of target shooting Ray Farlane said similar problems had been experienced by other shooting clubs in Victoria.“We just held the nationals in Geelong and had to wait until 3.15pm on the Friday before we got Liquor Licensing approval,” Mr Farlane said.