The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) say recent complaints about increased noise from shooting ranges is due to New Zealand not having enough firearms ranges, and it is about to get worse.

COLFO Spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack says New Zealand does not have the range capacity to service all licensed firearm owners, and it’s due to rules Police will make more restrictive from June 24.

“We need more ranges, not fewer, to service licensed owners and reduce community impact and risk, but the Police are forging ahead with rules that will reduce the number.

“There’s a lot of costs, safety rules and red tape to open a range, which is why we only have enough ranges to service 10 percent of Licensed Firearm Owners.”

“Ranges are in regular use, which includes Police staff training in the safe and accurate use of firearms,” he says.

“To open a new range, or continue the operation of an existing one, range operators must apply for certification before the new laws come into effect. They’re asking us to sign up to regulations before telling us what they are.”

“They’re asking clubs and ranges to sign what could be their death warrant, and no new range is going to open under this regime.”

Devereux-Mack says the few clubs that do survive will be overwhelmed with hunters, pest controllers, and sportspeople looking to practice and sight-in firearms.

“The few ranges left will be operating around the clock. That will create more noise pollution in those areas and runs the risk of being harder to operate safely,” says Devereux-Mack.

“By taking paperwork and safety to the extreme in the pursuit of Government funding, Police are creating the opposite of safe environments and reducing the ranges available to their own staff to train on the safe use of firearms.”

“We demand that Police give consideration in the new rules to encouraging new ranges and clubs, not making them harder to run.”

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