MILITARY-STYLE ASSAULT RIFLES TO BE BANNED

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a ban on military style, semi-automatic guns and assault rifles in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings.

She also announced immediate action to prevent stock-piling, and a buyback scheme that could cost up to $200 million. Cabinet is still to consider issues surrounding a gun register.

Speaking yesterday in Wellington, announcing the stronger gun laws, Ardern said changes to the laws after the Aramoana massacre in 1990, and subsequent additions in following years, did not go far enough. She reaffirmed there were a large number of loopholes in the laws.

Legislation to give effect to the ban will be introduced under urgency when Parliament sits in the first week of April.

A shortened select committee process, for feedback on the technical aspects of the changes, would apply, so she urged those who wished to submit, to start now. She expected the amendments to the Arms Act to be in place by April 11.

An amnesty will be put in place for weapons to be handed in, so in the meantime, the weapons have been recategorised as requiring an E endorsement on a firearms licence, preventing their sale to people with A category licences.

‘‘On March 15 our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too. We are announcing action on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place,’’ Ardern said.

All semi-automatic weapons used during the terrorist attack on Friday would be banned.

Related parts used to convert these guns into MSSAs would also be banned, along with all high-capacity magazines.

‘‘I strongly believe the vast majority of legitimate gun owners in New Zealand will understand that these moves are in the national interest, and will take these changes in their stride.’’

When Australia undertook similar reforms, their approach was to allow for exemptions for farmers upon application, including for pest control and animal welfare. New Zealand had taken similar action to identify the weapons legitimately required in those areas, and preclude them, Ardern said.

Police Minister Stuart Nash said the bill would include narrow exemptions for legitimate business use, which would include professional pest control.

Police and the Defence Force will also have exemptions and issues like access for mainstream international sporting competitions were also being worked through, he said.

‘‘We have also acknowledged that some guns serve legitimate purposes in our farming communities, and have therefore set out exemptions for 0.22 calibre rifles and shotguns commonly used for duck hunting. These will have limitations around their capacity.’’

While the legislation was being drafted, the Government would take immediate action to restrict the potential stock-piling of these guns and encourage people to continue to surrender their firearms, Nash said.

There would be transitionary measures for gun owners to hand in their guns to police to hold until details of a buyback were announced.

ROSA WOODS/STUFF As parliamentarians took stacks of paper representing New Zealanders wanting semi-automatic weapons banned and regulations on firearms advertising, the petition reached 70,000 signatures. From left, Cabinet ministers James Shaw and Grant Robertson and National MP Chris Bishop received the petition outside Parliament yesterday. Petitioner Brad Knewstubb said: ‘‘Unfortunately, the risk posed to us by semi-automatic firearms is one that has long been identified but we have failed to act on. We have known the risk for years, watching as massacre after massacre around the world played out on our TVs, yet we have seen no substantial change. We’re not here to ask for a ban on all firearms. What we’re asking for are laws that reduce the risk to us and the people that we love.’’