COLFO is pleased with today’s announcement from Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee that the Government will begin public consultation on the rewrite of the Arms Act 1983.

COLFO Spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack says multiple hasty revisions of the Act by successive Governments have made New Zealand’s legal firearm system fractured and confused.

“The Arms Act has been altered and picked at by multiple Governments in their quests for quick responses to serious firearm incidents.”

“Treating the Act as a crime-fighting tool has untowardly tarnished all legal firearm users with blame for these terrible events. Now, the Act treats the average firearm owner as a potential criminal first and foremost, before it considers them a farmer, athlete, or conservationist.”

“It has obscured the original intention of the Act, which is to provide a system that allows for the safe, legal use of firearms by fit and proper citizens.”

COLFO encourages all firearm owners to submit in the public consultation.

“It is about time the law is reviewed in a calm, sensible context, free of the emotion associated with horrific events perpetrated by the least fit and proper people this country has come across.”

“At the same time, we have been impressed with this Government’s focus on treating gun crime as a criminal issue, dealt with through the appropriate criminal offences.”

The discussion document and further details on the public consultation will be available on the Ministry of Justice website from 13 January 2025. Submissions will close on 28 February 2025.

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