Jacinda Ardern’s gun control plan in 10 days as Gun City protests continue
Jacinda Ardern has said Cabinet has made in-principle decisions about changes to gun laws in the next 10 days — but until then no moratorium on gun sales or importation would occur.
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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said Cabinet has made in-principle decisions about changes to gun laws.
She said that in the next 10 days, reforms will be announced, but until then no moratorium on gun sales or importation would occur.
“As a Cabinet we were absolutely clear, the terror attack on Friday was the worse act of terrorism on our shores,” she said.
She added that it had highlighted weaknesses in their gun laws, and reminded people they could surrender weapons to police.
Ms Ardern also said there would be a review of security agencies’ actions.
As for whether a buy-back scheme, similar to Australia’s would be introduced, she would not comment on its inclusion.
She and Winston Peters told media they had not spoken to Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne who said today Australia was open to talks on deportating alleged Austalian gunman Brenton Tarrant.
In discussing the review, she said it would investigate Tarrant’s travel and use of social media.
“Our world changed forever,” after the mosque shootings,” Peters said.
“That was the reason for the change of heart by the party.”
Ms Ardern said a national memorial would be held in due course.
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GUN CITY SOLD ACCUSED GUNMAN ARMS
Christchurch’s Gun City is simply enormous, the biggest weapons store in New Zealand and far beyond anything seen in Australia.
CEO David Tripple has confirmed his store had sold four weapons to Brenton Tarrant but they were not the ones he used in the killings.
The boss of Gun City, the largest seller of weapons in New Zealand, said he would support authorities in their investigation and also moves for toughened gun laws
“The semi-automatic rifle was not purchased from Gun City. Gun City did not sell him MSSA, only category A firearms,” he said.
Tipple said he does not feel any sense of responsibility for the events that took place.
After the attack, he “searched the store’s records and found the gunman’s purchases,” and gave it to police.
“I’ve informed the police that gun city sold the alleged gunman 4 A category firearms and ammunition,” he said.
Tarrant’s first purchase from Gun City was in November 2017, and his last was in March 2018.
He added that a number of people were wanting to sell their semi automatic guns as a result of the massacre.
As it stands, Gun City gives stark insight into the free availability of the vast array of assault rifles and guns in this country.
There is a sizeable collection of AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, such as Tarrant used in his twin-mosque massacre on Friday.
One, equipped with red-dot laser and a silencer, was selling for just under NZ$6000.
To buy one, all you need is to produce a valid licence — which in this country is easily obtained.
Behind a glass-enclosed room is the heavy machinery, military grade hardware such as fully automatic AK-47s, M16s, M4s and what appears to a .50 calibre sniper rifle such as special forces have used to target insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan over distances of up to two kilometres.
These weapons are available to those with special licences.
PROTESTERS LINE UP
A small group handful of protesters gathered outside Gun City this morning, holding placards. Reina Dornan, a Christchurch resident, said: “If one person can do this, there is no reason to arm an assault rifle.”
One hunter told them where to go, while another emotional gun user challenged them in a more civil way.
He said he expected Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s promise to change guns laws would likely result in bans similar to what with seen in Australia after 1996 after Port Arthur, which he said would damage both an industry and a long-cherished hunting culture.
“I run a gun shop,” said the man, who declined to give his name. “Are you going to ban the trucks that ran down people in France?”
The protestors didn’t agree, but thanked the man for the polite discussion.
New Zealand’s laws are in black and white and make it plain that assault rifles are easy for citizens to acquire.
That will change after Tarrant’s rampage.
SPECULATIONS ABOUT NEW GUN CONTROLS
Semi-automatics are likely to be banned or come under strict controls after Ms Ardern promised to take the issue to cabinet today for urgent review. “As I’ve already indicated, there will be changes to our gun laws,” she said.
Tarrant was assessed as being a fit and proper person to own semi-automatic assault style rifles after passing an easy test that required him to give a simple explanation for his need to possess such weapons.
Those reasons could include “hunting, pest and animal control, sport (target) shooting, animal slaughter, starting sport events, (and) gun collection”, according the NZ’s gunpolicy.org, which sets out the lax standards required of gun owners.
“Any person, being of or over the age of 18 years and being an applicant for a firearms licence or the holder of a firearms licence, may apply at an Arms Office to a member of the Police for an endorsement permitting that person to have possession of a military style semi-automatic firearm,” state the New Zealand regulations.
Reasons for not being granted a licence include “criminal history, physical and/or mental health records, lack of residency and/or citizenship, dishonourable military discharge, substance abuse or addiction, previous non-compliance with gun laws, or a past history, current allegations or apprehended risk of domestic violence.”
Tarrant is not a New Zealand citizen yet managed to possess five weapons, including two semi-automatics and two shotguns.
Ms Ardern stated that Tarrant had broken no laws in buying his guns, possibly doing so as a temporary NZ resident.
“My advice currently is under that gun licence he was able to legally buy the guns that he held,” she said in the aftermath of the atrocity.
There is no prescribed maximum limit for the number of weapons a person can own but authorities may impose limits, depending on the reasons given for needing them.
Tarrant was a member of the Bruce Rifle Club, south of Dunedin, which allowed him to demonstrate he was a legitimate sporting shooter who attended the club’s firing range.
New Zealand has no equivalent the Second Amendment in the US, an archaic law that grants the right to bear arms in order that citizens can raise a militia to defend the country but has in modern times transformed into a law that is interpreted as a statement on individual freedoms.
NZ does not regard gun ownership as a right, as in the US, but a privilege. Previous attempts to change the laws have failed, but Ms Ardern is not expected to meet any further heavy resistance as her country struggles to justify the need for such private firepower.
Tarrant’s A-class licence required him to sit a short safety and legal course lasting only a few hours, including a multiple-choice questionnaire.
In just under two weeks, former prime minister John Howard succeeded in banning fully and semi-automatics after Port Arthur, which saw Martin Bryant use AR-15 assault rifles to murder 35 people.
AUSTRALIA MAY INFLUENCE NZ GUN LAWS
New Zealand is likely to adopt an Australian-style guns buy back scheme and a ban on semi automatic weapons under discussions currently taking place in the government’s Cabinet.
Law changes had been proposed three times in the past decade. However commentators have speculated the mood was right now to adopt Australia’s approach post the Port Arthur tragedy where more than a third of weapons were surrendered and destroyed as part of a government buyback scheme backed by stricter gun buying laws including outright bans on certain weapons.
NZ GUN SHOW AXED
The news comes as New Zealand’s biggest gun show has been cancelled following the Christchurch shooting massacre.
“In respect for the victims of the Christchurch terror attacks and because the elevated security risks we have decided to not hold the event,” the Kumeu Militaria show said in a Facebook post.
It comes after Brenton Tarrant’s twin-mosque massacre on Friday resulted in 50 deaths.
“As I’ve already indicated, there will be changes to our gun laws,” she said earlier.
The current laws are in black and white and make it plain that New Zealand will not stand in the way of people wanting to possess military-grade weapons.
Tarrant was assessed as being a fit and proper person to own semiautomatic assault style rifles after passing an easy test that required him to give a simple explanation for his need to possess such weapons.
Those reasons could include “hunting, pest and animal control, sport (target) shooting, animal slaughter, starting sport events, (and) gun collection”, according the NZ’s gunpolicy.org, which sets out the lax standards required of gun owners.
“Any person, being of or over the age of 18 years and being an applicant for a firearms licence or the holder of a firearms licence, may apply at an Arms Office to a member of the Police for an endorsement permitting that person to have possession of a military style semiautomatic firearm,” state the New Zealand regulations.
Reasons for not being granted a licence include “criminal history, physical and/or mental health records, lack of residency and/or citizenship, dishonourable military discharge, substance abuse or addiction, previous noncompliance with gun laws, or a past history, current allegations or apprehended risk of domestic violence.”
Tarrant is not a New Zealand citizen yet managed to possess five weapons, including two semiautomatics and two shotguns.
TARRANT’S RIFLE CLUB
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Tarrant was a member of the Bruce Rifle Club, south of Dunedin, which allowed him to demonstrate he was a legitimate sporting shooter who regularly attended the club’s firing range.
It has vehemently denied any knowledge that Tarrant, who remained a member up until Friday’s rampage, was a white supremacist with dangerous views.
New Zealand has no equivalent to the Second Amendment in the US, an archaic law that grants the right to bear arms in order that citizens can raise a militia to defend the country.
The US law has in modern times transformed into a fiercely defended statement on what gun owners see as an inviolate individual freedom.
NZ does not regard gun ownership as a right, as in the US, but a privilege.
Previous attempts to change the laws have failed, but Ms Ardern is not expected to meet any further heavy resistance as her country struggles to justify the need for such private firepower.
Tarrant’s A class licence required him to sit a short safety and legal course lasting only a few hours, including a multiple choice questionnaire.
It appears from Tarrant’s rampage that he was able to make simple adjustments to turn his semiautomatic into a fully automatic, allowing him to spray bullets at will.
JOHN HOWARD’S VIEW
In just under two weeks, former prime minister John Howard moved rapidly to ban semiautomatics after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which saw Martin Bryant use similar AR-15 assault rifles to murder 35 people.
Mr Howard today said he was confident there will be “universal acceptance” of tighter gun laws in New Zealand.
“They certainly are looser laws - much looser laws - than exists in Australia and I’m certain in the wake of this there would be a united resolve across the political scene in that country to do something,” he told Sydney radio 2GB.
“I think there’d be universal acceptance across the political divide in New Zealand.”
The former Liberal prime minister described the attack as a “terrible tragedy”.
“I join everybody else in condemning the attitudes of anybody, anywhere on the political spectrum - right, left or centre - that could possibly give rise to the hatred and prejudice that led to this occurring,” he said.
Originally published as Jacinda Ardern’s gun control plan in 10 days as Gun City protests continue
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