The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) says new gun control measures announced yesterday will not keep New Zealanders safe, and are a waste of money.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Minister Stuart Nash announced the second wave of gun reforms yesterday , which come in the wake of the March 15 terrorist attack in Christchurch.
Those measures include creating a register of firearms, dropping the length of gun licences from 10 years to five and giving police additional powers to put warning flags over people and seize their firearms if necessary.
The first tranche of changes, put through in April, included a ban on many types of semi-automatic weapons, as well as on parts which would allow the modification of a weapon into a semi-automatic.
A buyback of banned firearms is also underway, with police yesterday saying that 2143 people have now handed in 3275 firearms, as well as 7827 parts and accessories, since the first collection event a week ago.
A tougher licensing system is also part of key proposals unveiled by the Government today. (Source: Other)
Speaking this morning to TVNZ1' Breakfast programme, COLFO's Nicole McKee said her organisation does not believe a gun registry will make New Zealanders any safer.
"We're saying that the money could be better targeted in affecting criminals and criminal misuse instead of using that money on registration [and] having no good effect on the safety of New Zealanders," Ms McKee said.
"With registration, the Government are telling us they need to know where the firearms are. Now, they know where they are for licensed people, because they come to our houses and check our security What they don't know is where the firearms are in the criminals' hands.
"Registration is not going to help that."
The Prime Minister details the second phase of the post-terrorist attack overhaul of the country’s gun laws. (Source: Other)
Ms McKee pointed to a 2017 Select Committee on firearms, which suggested that criminals get firearms from many sources, not just from licensed owners.
The new rules are expected to cost between $42-$52 million over next 10 years and the Government wants the proposals made into law by January 1, 2020.
Ms McKee did say that her organisation supports some parts of the proposed changes - namely the legislating of regimes already in place under the Arms Code.
These include making it so that a gun licence is needed to buy magazines and gun parts.
"We want to work with Government for legislation that will keep us safe," Ms McKee said.
Other changes proposed yesterday include disqualifying people from holding a gun licence if they have convictions for a serious crime such as violence, gang activity, misuse of drugs, firearms offences or having a protection order made against them in the last 10 years.
Police Minister Nash said yesterday that "owning a gun is a privilege, not a right".
"Under the current law, we do not know exactly how many guns are in circulation, who owns them, who is selling them, who is buying them, or how securely they are stored against the risk of theft or misuse," Mr Nash said.
"There are more than 260 shooting clubs and ranges which operate without any system of licensing.
"Police have very few options for intervening when they see concerning behaviour.
"Revoking a firearms licence can only happen for the most serious cases and can take weeks, during which time the guns can be given away or disappear without trace.
"There are higher penalties for unlawfully taking fish than for some firearms offences - it is cheaper to get a gun licence than a dog licence.
"We owe it to the victims and the survivors of the mosque terror attacks to make these changes."
In Budget 2019, $150 million was put aside for the firearms buyback scheme, and $18 million for the implementation of the scheme.
April's 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton Poll showed the majority of New Zealand voters believed the Government's move to enact new gun laws had been "about right" in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attacks.
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