In a discussion document released yesterday entitled Arms regulations: Review of fees 2022 Police seek to recover the full cost of administering many of the laws and regulations covering the ownership and use of firearms, together with partial cost in some instances, from licensed firearm owners. In many cases they are proposing to raise fees from a few hundred dollars to over a $1,000 and also apply huge fees to activities that have required no charged previously.

As Sporting Shooters Association Vice President Chaz Forsyth says, "some of these fee hikes are outrageous and will only serve to drive many away from firearm ownership or alternatively see massive non compliance".

For example currently dealers pay $50 to transfer their dealers licence to a gun show or auction venue, police are proposing that this should increase to $ 1,120. This in its self will deter many smaller dealerships from talking part in gun shows.

Police are now proposing that collectors pay a fee of $ 1,100 for permission to remove a restricted firearm from their home to display at a public show or club event. This will mean the end of public displays or military reenactments by private collectors with their heritage arms.

All these additional cost have been forced on the firearm community by the government and police with their new laws and regulations in the name of making the public safer. It is only fair and reasonable that any additional costs of regulating firearms in New Zealand is born by the public purse.

Further it should be noted that with only the new police Firearm Safety Authority legally allowed to charge these fees there is no incentive for improving efficiency or competitive pricing. We are stuck with a ponderous monopoly.

© Scoop Media