Thread: Call to Arms

Reply from Stuart Nash to me. Probably the same cut and paste seen by many? At least I got a reply but it failed to answer any question asked in my own shamelessly cut and paste (Stug) letter.

Dear James,
Thanks very much for your email.

First of all, you are right when you say that the Select Committee inquiry focus was on how criminals are accessing firearms (title of the inquiry was 'Inquiry into Issues Relating to the Illegal Possession of Firearms in New Zealand'), but as part of the inquiry, we also investigated ways that made it harder for criminals and gangs to access firearms.

The terms of reference for the inquiry were:
· How widespread firearm possession is amongst criminals, including gangs
· How criminals, gangs and those who do not have a licence come into the possession of firearms
· What changes, if any, to the current situation may further restrict the flow of firearms to criminals, gangs, and those who do not have a licence.

The committee did note that the vast majority of firearms users in New Zealand are law-abiding, and we did not wish to impose any form of unreasonable cost or impost on them at all.
We received 99 submissions; including from Central North Island Club, Bruce Rifle Club, Council of Licensed Forearms Owners, Greater Wgtn Muzzle-loading club, Firearms Safety Specialist NZ, Mountain Safety Council, Paul Clark, Pistol NZ, Rural Women NZ, Sporting shooter association of NZ, NZ Customs, etc etc, so we had a wide and varied range of opinions and views.

There were 20 recommendations as outlined in the Committee’s report in the link below:-

https://www.parliament.nz/resource/e...6269b2427510b9

The process from here is that NZ Police has received a copy of the Select Committee’s report, and they will write a further report containing their own recommendations for the Minister.
The Minister must then decide what to do with it and what, if any, recommendations she decides to pursue.

If law changes are required as a result of any recommendations the Minister accepts, these will have to go through the full consultation process and members of the public will have an opportunity to submit their views at this point in time.

It is my expectation that NZ Police will consult and work in partnership with the representatives of gun owners to ensure that what is finally recommended is sensible and achievable and does not impose undue cost or restrictions on law-abiding citizens.

Thanks
Stuart