Tuesday, 21 July, the Arms Bill passed its second reading in Parliament.
Introducing the debate, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee reflected on the scale of consultation behind the bill and made the case that firearms law can protect the public and respect licensed owners at the same time.
This is the next major step in the rewrite of New Zealand's firearms law, and it brings a number of practical changes that licensed firearm owners have been asking for. The bill replaces the current Arms Act with a single, updated framework, following one of the largest consultation processes we have seen on firearms law.
More than 8,000 submissions were made on the bill itself. Every change recommended by the Justice Committee was agreed unanimously across party lines.
The Justice Committee recommended a number of improvements after hearing from submitters, including:
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A new regulator - The bill establishes an independent firearms regulator, Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand, separate from Police. The regulator will focus on licensing, education, compliance and service, while Police focus on gangs, criminals, and illegally held firearms.
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Repairs and gunsmithing - The period a restricted firearm can be left with a licensed business, such as a gunsmith, without a permit or immediate registry transfer has been extended from seven days to 21 days. This recognises that parts often need to be ordered and that we have very few gunsmiths, so work is not always finished inside a week.
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Visitor licences - Multi-entry visitor licences will be extended from 12 months to up to 18 months, giving more flexibility to people who return each year for events like the roar, duck shooting, or competitive shooting.
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Museums - Museum worker licences will now align with the duration of a standard firearms licence.
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Pest controllers - The mid-term check-in requirement for pest controllers who hold restricted firearm endorsements has been removed. Instead, they will notify the regulator when their circumstances change.
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Urgent suspensions - Firearms licences will be able to be temporarily suspended outside normal business hours where urgent action is needed to protect someone's safety.
The bill now moves to its next stages before becoming law. We will keep you updated.
Minister McKee to Attend NZDA National AGM This Weekend
NZDA is honoured to host Nicole McKee at our AGM this weekend at the 78th National Conference, taking place in Wellington, alongside our Hunting & Wildlife Expo. We look forward to hearing more about the path of reform.
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