On Friday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Minister Stuart Nash introduced to Parliament the latest round of firearms legislation changes. Meanwhile, a lobby group has launched a new campaign with the aim of dramatically increasing the restrictions on licensed firearms owners.
On their website, the lobby group Gun Control NZ are pushing the Government to:
- Extend the ban on semi-automatic firearms to all semi-automatic .22s (even those that hold 10 rounds or less
- Extend the ban on semi-automatic firearms to all semi-automatic shotguns (even those that hold 5 rounds or less).
What this means in real terms is that Gun Control NZ is campaigning to ban all duck shooting involving semi-autos.
Even for those who can show a genuine need for these firearms (such as farmworkers, or clay target shooters with a disability) the group want to limit ownership to one shotgun or one rifle in this category!
Fair and Reasonable Campaign
The primary spokesperson of the lobby group Gun Control NZ is an Otago University ‘public health’ academic who has a campaigning background. Gun Control NZ also has the backing of left-wing lobby group ActionStation, which receives government funding.
It is of concern that these anti-firearms zealots are trying to use the tragedy in Christchurch as a Trojan horse to further their ideological opposition to responsible use and enjoyment of firearms.