Thread: Shooting: The sport all of us enjoy - do your part in preserving the ability to do so

Shooters: All of you - endorsed or otherwise, please read this.

New Zealanders have long enjoyed the pastime of hunting, target shooting and all other lawful recreational uses of firearms. Indeed, it is part of our national heritage. A great many of us have been brought up among firearms, many are reliant upon it to put food on the table. Many are reliant upon it to destroy pests which would otherwise prevent food arriving at our tables.

There are also a significant number of sports shooters across various pistol, rifle and shotgun disciplines. Our men and women have and continue to win high acclaim throughout the years on the sports field in the safe pursuit of their shooting discipline. Fundamentally we all enjoy the same sport, regardless of discipline.

Unfortunately, however, there are those who seek to impose further restrictions on law-abiding firearm owners without any substantial evidence to support these restrictions. They also seek to promote these restrictions outside the scope of New Zealand firearm law as defined by the Arms Act 1983 which is illegal.

As to why these agendas are being pursued is frankly not important right now. I urge you to familiarise yourself with the Arms Act 1983.

Arms Act 1983 No 44 (as at 01 March 2017), Public Act Contents – New Zealand Legislation

Admittedly it is not easy reading but I urge every one of you to attempt to familiarise yourself with it as there are certainly policies that have changed recently (note: policies are NOT law) that could potentially become law. These will potentially affect all licensed firearm owners.

These are changes that are occurring behind closed doors.

These should not be the actions of a democratically elected government.

We all have the power to change it. There are people in the recognised legal fraternity that have years of knowledge and experience with dealing with this. To support a recognised legal entity who is experienced in looking after your legal interests as a firearm owner please support Nicholas Taylor - Barrister BA LLB.

For more information concerning firearms legislation and various other aspects pertaining to the subject please consult the KiwiGunblog. I encourage the observer to keep an open mind and view the facts and references as presented.

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Originally Posted by Nicholas Taylor

23 March 2017 - I do not usually contribute to forums as it not the correct way for me deal with or give proper, considered legal advice, however in this circumstance I can indicate the following:

The New Zealand Licenced Firearms Dealers (NZLFD) Trust has instructed me to being preparing for a Judicial Review proceeding (pursuant to the Judicature Act 1908) to be filed in June of this year against the Commissioner of Police. The NZLFD Trust is a registered legal entity for the purposes of this action. It has now received for legal services, from a total of 28 licenced firearms dealers, organisations and individuals in New Zealand, a total of approximately $30,000 the Trust Target is $50,000. As with any litigation that is commenced, it is critical to have enough funds to pay for legal costs, court fees and witness expenses, but in addition, to have sufficient available if the decision goes against you to pay for costs if awarded. Obviously if successful, then an award of costs with be folded back into the Trust for potential action for another time, or appeals if appropriate.

The current issues that the Trust is asking me to seek clarification on, by way of declarations from the court, are:

1. Is the police policy in regards to “Safes and Security” lawful or ultra vires their authority under the Arms Act 1983 or Arms Regulation 1992?
2. Is the police policy in regards to the measurement of MSSA firearms by police lawful or ultra vires their authority under the Arms Act 1983 or Arms Regulation 1992?
3. Is the police policy in regards to the imposition of conditions on the importation for restricted firearms and air guns and other standard firearms by the police lawful or ultra vires their authority under the Arms Act 1983 or Arms Regulation 1992?
4. Is the police policy in regards to the mail order form, in regards to both standard firearms and restricted air guns, lawful or ultra vires their authority under the Arms Act 1983 or Arms Regulation 1992?

I am currently in the process of filing three individual funded appeals/originating applications in the District Court in Auckland pursuant to s 62 and s 62 (1) (c) (ii) of the Arms Act 1983, to which there may be a certain degree of overlap possible. Otherwise I have begun to draft and correlate information, affidavits and documentary evidence to support each of the above mentioned issues for the June (target) action to commence. If you have had any issues or have documents in support of any of these issues please contact me by email.

Thanks for sharing Ryan, would have been good to see a few people replying to this thread. Unfortunately most just don't give a toss.

Whilst it would have been good to have some discussion on the topic, my hope is that people have at least read it and taken on board what is happening around them. Today is the day folks - L&O select committee recommendations (read police's recommendations) are going to be made public. Reading is from 1000 to 1130:

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/s...e-of-meetings/

Yep, am watching with interest.
We are also planning a shooting competition towards the end of May in which all proceeds will go towards the NZLFD Trust. Just have to confirm the date and we'll start advertising it. In the theme of our last couple of shoots we are hoping to put about $1000 into the NZLFD Trust fund from it. I can't do that personally but I can certainly run a shoot and donate the funds from it.

Jonathon Young is also my local MP. Be interesting to read the L&O Select Committee findings and depending on what they recommend go and have a chat with him about it.

I do give a toss and will be supporting with dollars where and when I can, but the pessimistic side of me can't help thinking that all the different firearms user groups will be falling over themselves throwing other firearms user groups under the bus in the vain hope they can keep there own stuff. Please god I hope I am wrong but ....................................

Originally Posted by mikee

I do give a toss and will be supporting with dollars where and when I can, but the pessimistic side of me can't help thinking that all the different firearms user groups will be falling over themselves throwing other firearms user groups under the bus in the vain hope they can keep there own stuff. Please god I hope I am wrong but ....................................

Well if people do adopt that attitude, they are stupid quite frankly. Selfish and stupid. They need to put the common good ahead of their own interests.

May be different this time. Maybe. I've received messages from hunting friends that in the past haven't given a toss, but this time they're asking about what we need to do.

Originally Posted by Ryan

Well if people do adopt that attitude, they are stupid quite frankly. Selfish and stupid. They need to put the common good ahead of their own interests.

I agree but past experience in other countries as well as here would indicate differently sadly

Originally Posted by mikee

I agree but past experience in other countries as well as here would indicate differently sadly

Go no further than our closest neighbour to where I lived the Gun Club group publicly tried to distance themselves from the other shooting groups. (We are all respectable businessmen blah blah.)

And all ready at home a group has come across the same in recent past.

Same as the critical sentiment expressed towards the AR shooters by non AR shooters. I am non AR but understand their interest/enthusiasm.

Should be about to kick off shortly - I don't have access to freeview otherwise I'd watch. Channel 36 I believe.

Originally Posted by zimmer

Go no further than our closest neighbour to where I lived the Gun Club group publicly tried to distance themselves from the other shooting groups. (We are all respectable businessmen blah blah.)

And all ready at home a group has come across the same in recent past.

Same as the critical sentiment expressed towards the AR shooters by non AR shooters. I am non AR but understand their interest/enthusiasm.

i never thought i would own a "mouse gun" but they are fun and sort of like ikea furniture, you can keep swapping bits and improving them. unfortunately the wife seems to wan to own it despite the fact she has an sks to play with (among other toys)

Originally Posted by Richard Prosser

Update: The L&O Select Committee has accepted the 5th and final draft of their Report on the Firearms Inquiry, by majority vote.

It will be tabled, at the earliest, tomorrow or Friday (probably), at which point it will become publicly available.

Great.

Originally Posted by mikee

but the pessimistic side of me can't help thinking that all the different firearms user groups will be falling over themselves throwing other firearms user groups under the bus in the vain hope they can keep there own stuff. Please god I hope I am wrong but ....................................

I know things are vastly different in the US but the start of this video applies to NZ and what is going on currently as we speak.

Very relevant clip. Well thought out.

Unfortunately most people against guns are just too stupid to reason with.



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