The Government has announced some draconian new laws, that will apparently deprive gang members of guns. No one has bothered to stop and think it through, or to use even joined-up thinking:
The Government will make it illegal for “high-risk people” including gang members and serious criminals to own firearms.
A new bill to be introduced will involve Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPOs) to combat the “influence of gangs and organised crime to help keep New Zealanders and their families safe”, Police Minister Poto Williams said today.
It follows rising concern about gang violence and illegal firearms, prompted by a spate of incidents including a recent shooting incident outside Auckland’s Sofitel Hotel, believed to involve the Mongols and Head Hunters gangs.
NZ Herald
There is no definition of “high-risk people”, but the law already accounts for this by subjecting people to a “fit and proper person” test.
But here is the problem…gang members aren’t known for their compliance with the law.
Does the government and Poto Williams really believe that prohibiting a gang member from owning firearms will stop gang members from: a) obtaining firearms and b) keeping them?
It appears they do:
Williams said they expected about 1000 FPOs to be issued each year.
The moves come a few months after Police launched Operation Tauwhiro, an effort to target firearms and organised crime.
“It is no secret that gun crime is an increasing concern to our communities and we need to take further action to make sure New Zealanders and their families are kept safe,” Williams said.
“It is a privilege, not a right, to own or use a gun in this country and we need to take that ability out of the hands of people who pose a threat to our communities.”
FPOs will prohibit high-risk people from accessing, being around, or using firearms, she said.
A person would need to specifically commit a crime, go through a court process, and qualify under the FPO conditions, Williams said.
NZ Herald
The Police Minister must be blessed with an abundance of stupidity if she thinks a FPO will stop a gang member. On top of that, they have to have been processed all the way through the wet bus ticket justice system and end up actually convicted.
Even then, after having a FPO issued, that isn’t going to stop them.
This proposed law is as flimsy as the paper a FPO is written on at actually addressing violent crime.
These people are even thicker than the criminals.
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