Thread: Clubs and ranges - consultation begins

latest e mail from Nicole Mckee re clubs / ranges :

Hello everyone, I begin this email thanking you all for your ongoing support of what is going to be a really busy term of Government business for firearms owners.

I am pleased to share with you the first changes relating to the regulation of shooting clubs and ranges.

Throughout this process my focus has been on achieving public safety, by allowing clubs to remain open so licenced firearms owners have somewhere they can practice and learn to use firearms safely. However, I have also been conscious of the burden unnecessary regulation has placed on these organisations, many of which are run and funded by volunteers.

The first of these regulations, which have no clear public safety rationale, have now been changed.

Non-Pistol Shooting Clubs

From Friday, 28 June most of the unnecessary Annual Reporting requirements for non-pistol clubs will be gone – benefiting over 33% of clubs.

From that date, the annual report of a non-pistol shooting club to the Firearms Safety Authority (FSA) will only need to include details of any changes to club officers since the club either applied for a certificate of approval or since the club’s last annual report, whichever is later. A simple email to FSA confirming there are no changes is all that will be required. Of course, if you have a change in committee members, then you must notify the FSA of those changes. There will no longer be a requirement to provide the minutes of the last AGM, or details of changes to constitutions or rules.

Pistol Shooting Clubs

These new reporting requirements do not change the annual reporting requirements to the FSA for pistol shooting clubs, which are required to provide:

• The minutes of the club’s last annual general meeting
• The names of all club members
• The firearms licence numbers of all club members who hold a firearms licence
• A list of the shooting activities organised by the club that were held during the financial year and the location of those activities
• A list of the shooting activities organised by the club that are planned to be held in the following financial year and the location of those activities
• If firearms and/or ammunition are sold on behalf of the club, a financial report approved in accordance with the club’s rules.
However, if a pistol club has not made any changes to its constitution or rules in the past year, they need now only give a statement to that effect. Likewise, if a pistol club has not had any changes to the club’s officers, they need only give a statement to that effect.

Annual Reports due prior to 28 June

I am aware that there are a number of clubs who have an annual report due now and who have yet to lodge it with FSA. For those clubs, I advise that your annual report is still due, and it should include the requirements set out under the previous regulation 28GO. I have moved as fast as I can using an Order in Council, but this regulation is NOT retrospective. It takes affect from 28 June 2024 and will capture those clubs whose year-end is 30 June 2024 onwards, but not the clubs whose year ended BEFORE 28 June 2024.

Incorporated Societies Act

All Clubs should note that if they are Incorporated then they will still need to meet the requirements under the Incorporated Societies Act and file those reports to the Companies Office.

I will be making announcements about more substantial changes as soon as I can and will share these with you in due course.

As I re-read this email over and over again it feels complicated, however we are starting work on unravelling the regs for you so please bear with us as we move through this reform process.

Meanwhile, thanks again for your support and I encourage you to let others know this great news, maybe even encourage them to sign up to receive these newsletters themselves at www.act.org.nz/firearms


Hon Nicole McKee
ACT Spokesperson for Firearms
Associate Minister of Justice

Sounds good to me but then I'm no expert