Semi-automatic weapons might be making a comeback under Nats

[king1]

Let's just turn NZ into Little America...

Semi-automatics could make a return to gun ranges with New Zealand's firearms laws in for a major shake-up this term.
National and ACT agreed to rewrite the Arms Act - in place since the early 1980s - as part of its coalition arrangement.
Everything is on the table, including changing the existing licensing regime and re-introducing the military-style weapons used in the 15 March terror attacks.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/510...s-shake-up

[jim157]

good..............

[Wainuiguy]

The knee jerk reaction to the Aussie lone wolf Tarrant was always stupid. His gun was already illegal. All the change did was to give legal owners of semi automatic guns (and let's not use the term "military style" because most semi autos used in NZ are not that type) a nice cash payment to go and buy other guns. In some cases more powerful ones than they had!

Those that had guns illegally still have the guns. Gun crime did not abate - it actually got worse.

[Lilith7]

Let's just turn NZ into Little America...

Semi-automatics could make a return to gun ranges with New Zealand's firearms laws in for a major shake-up this term.
National and ACT agreed to rewrite the Arms Act - in place since the early 1980s - as part of its coalition arrangement.
Everything is on the table, including changing the existing licensing regime and re-introducing the military-style weapons used in the 15 March terror attacks.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/510...s-shake-up

Lunacy. This govt seems very keen on emulating the worst of America as swiftly as possible. If they continue  down this track, how long before we have large-ish camps of homeless people, & more idiots carrying guns as they now have there.

https://www.vox.com/policy/2023/3/8/2361...affordable

https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2016/0...ss/462450/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/30/us/ho...ornia.html



From the link above:

McKee wants to roll back what she described as "rushed" and "knee-jerk" legislation so regulations were less onerous on firearms owners.
"Gun ownership is a normal way of life. Now, everyone thinks that it's used just as a weapon, rather than as a sporting tool or a way to put food on the table," she said.
"It's going to be hard to have this conversation because people already have misconceived preconceptions about firearms but [the conversation] does need to start."

Firearms are no safer than they were before.

Maysoon Salama - whose son was murdered in the terror attacks - said relaxing gun laws was a step backwards.
"After the 15th of March..we really needed to feel safe and for this not to happen again, to anyone. Just last week there was another threat to the two mosques.
"If they change the regulations, what's going to happen? We still have many people out there who are still full of hatred, Islamophobia and discrimination against minorities."
Salama said she did not want to see any changes to New Zealand's gun restrictions on behalf of a small group of people who wanted to use high-powered guns for sport.
"They can still enjoy their hobby but there is no need for semi-automatic firearms because they mean more situations, these kinds of terrorism acts."


A scientific review of 130 studies in 10 countries showed relaxing firearms restrictions typically led to increased gun deaths.
From review:
“Evidence from 130 studies in 10 countries suggests that in certain nations the simultaneous implementation of laws targeting multiple firearms restrictions is associated with reductions in firearm deaths. Laws restricting the purchase of (e.g., background checks) and access to (e.g., safer storage) firearms are also associated with lower rates of intimate partner homicides and firearm unintentional deaths in children, respectively. “

[Praktica]

The knee jerk reaction to the Aussie lone wolf Tarrant was always stupid.  His gun was already illegal.  All the change did was to give legal owners of semi automatic guns (and let's not use the term "military style" because most semi autos used in NZ are not that type) a nice cash payment to go and buy other guns.  In some cases more powerful ones than they had! 

Those that had guns illegally still have the guns.  Gun crime did not abate - it actually got worse.

Oh look - ACT party talking points, regurgitated without thought!

Do you have proof for your second statement? Let's see the figures.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Who benefits?

[Lilith7]

Who benefits?

Defintely one David Tipple, owner of the Gun city shops. The man who claims he was 'enriched' by his time in a US prison.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/gun-dealer...IUHV6L4ZE/

And who sold guns to the terrorist responsible for the massacre here.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/3849...rch%202018.

"Mr Tipple told media today he searched company records and found that the shooting suspect had made online purchases between November 2017 and March 2018. Ammunition was also sold.

However, a military-style MMSA semi-automatic assault rifle believed to be used in the attack was not sold to him by the gun retail chain, he said.
There were two attacks last Friday in Christchurch - one at the Al Noor Mosque next to Hagley Park, and one at the Linwood Mosque.
Fifty people died, seven at Linwood Mosque and 42 at Al Noor Mosque. One person died later in Christchurch Hospital.
"All Gun City sales to this individual followed a police verified online mail order process... We detected nothing extraordinary about the license holder," Mr Tipple said today.
He said was disgusted and dismayed at the atrocity and had written to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over the incident and had been in discussions with the police."


And who had dinner with NZF ministers....


https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/lamb-wine-...IH6JUACEY/


"Winston Peters and Shane Jones voted in favour of gun law reforms but shared a good laugh at ending up at Gun City owner David Tipple's house for dinner last night.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Economic Development Minister, who are also New Zealand First MPs, auctioned off a dinner with them to raise funds for Koru Care, a charity that gives sick children dream trips and adventures.
"They sort of snickered about ... would they have done it if they'd known they'd end up with a gun dealer," Tipple told the Herald.

"They didn't put it quite that way, but they were quite clear that they got more than they bargained for when they said 'no holds barred' on who they'd eat with."

Tipple won the dinner with a $7350 bid, the second such dinner he has won after winning an auction to dine with then-Prime Minister John Key in 2010.
The dinner with Peters and Jones took place last night after New Zealand First's annual conference in Christchurch.

Tipple has voiced strong opposition to the Government's gun law reforms, but he said the occasion was not political and they only briefly discussed firearms.
"I tried to keep the gun debate out of it. Both of them are shooters - Winston had a surprising knowledge on firearms - and they're both keen sportsmen who love their fishing."

[nzoomed]

It was a bit of a knee jerk reaction which ended up making alot of innocent owners get caught up in the whole thing unnecessarily. 
For example, a crappy worn out 100 + year old pump action .22 with a 12 round magazine became illegal due to the rushed legislation. Most public are unaware of this fact and just assumed the likes of AK47 or AR15 type guns were banned when it extended to many more firearms than just semi auto centrefire.

Many people took advantage of the buyback and got good money for junk guns and bought something more powerful such as a brand new .22 magnum semi auto or a semi auto shotgun.

Looks like they are trying to make the legislation more workable I guess.

Needless to say, there are legitimate uses for such firearms, for example a .223 semi auto would be very useful for a farmer who is needing to control wild pigs or wallabies.

To make things worse, it appears that a number of gun owners are not up to date on the new legislation, going by what I've seen listed on trademe where buyers are pointing out in the q&a to the seller that the magazine needed modification before they can sell it.

[SueDonim]

The knee jerk reaction to the Aussie lone wolf Tarrant was always stupid.  His gun was already illegal.  All the change did was to give legal owners of semi automatic guns (and let's not use the term "military style" because most semi autos used in NZ are not that type) a nice cash payment to go and buy other guns.  In some cases more powerful ones than they had! 

Those that had guns illegally still have the guns.  Gun crime did not abate - it actually got worse.

Yes, and...

---

It was a bit of a knee jerk reaction which ended up making alot of innocent owners get caught up in the whole thing unnecessarily. 
For example, a crappy worn out 100 + year old pump action .22 with a 12 round magazine became illegal due to the rushed legislation. Most public are unaware of this fact and just assumed the likes of AK47 or AR15 type guns were banned when it extended to many more firearms than just semi auto centrefire.

Many people took advantage of the buyback and got good money for junk guns and bought something more powerful such as a brand new .22 magnum semi auto or a semi auto shotgun.

Looks like they are trying to make the legislation more workable I guess.

Needless to say, there are legitimate uses for such firearms, for example a .223 semi auto would be very useful for a farmer who is needing to control wild pigs or wallabies.

To make things worse, it appears that a number of gun owners are not up to date on the new legislation, going by what I've seen listed on trademe where buyers are pointing out in the q&a to the seller that the magazine needed modification before they can sell it.

Yes.

Part of the problem now is the complexity of the current laws, which make it confusing about who has to do what, when, and most gun owners don't want to do the registration process because if it gets hacked it provides the crims with a shopping list of who has what. Police don't actually need to know - if they are going to a property where there is a licensed gun owner they know there are likely to be guns there and the what and how many aren't really relevant. And they aren't likely to need to go to a licensed gun owner's home very often anyway.

On the other hand, the person who has " a crappy worn out 100 + year old... [snip]... .22" of any kind will have to deface it with an engraving of a made up serial number when they register it (if it doesn't already have one).

So, let's hope common sense prevails, and sporting/hunting guns can go back to being used as they should be, and the criminals get hammered instead of the law-abiding sportsman/collector/farmer/hunter.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Still, it is not a good look when NZFirst MPs are photographed having dinner with the outspoken owner of Gun City, though I guess they are following a trend set by Nat MPs in previous years.

[nzoomed]

Exactly, it looks like they are taking a more common sense but cautious approach.
Unfortunately guns are not overly perceived by many in a positive light.
But NZ has quite a high percentage of firearms ownership and that's mainly due to our love of the outdoors, farmers and high amount of introduced pests, etc.

[Lilith7]

Still, it is not a good look when NZFirst MPs are photographed having dinner with the outspoken owner of Gun City, though I guess they are following a trend set by Nat MPs in previous years.

It certainly isn't a good look, & while I agree that the laws should be simplified using common sense, I do think police need to know what firearms are where as far as possible.

Because as we down here have recently learned, you never know what's around the corner....