More gun laws on way

On Wednesday night, 26 days after the Christchurch terror attack, Parliament overwhelmingly voted in favour of The Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines and Parts) Amendment Bill after its crucial third reading.

It is set to become law by the end of the week. Here is all you need to know about the reforms: The law bans a range of semiautomatic weapons along with parts that can convert a firearm into a semi-automatic.

It adds a regulation-making power to the law that could add additional kinds of prohibited weapons and parts.

It also creates new firearms offences – some punishable by 10-year maximum jail sentences.

It exempts some weapons such as rimfire .22 calibre rifles and shotguns that have smaller ammunition capacity. Certain groups such as pest controllers will also be exempt under strict conditions.

Bona fide collectors have the ability to apply for an endorsement on their licence to keep a prohibited firearm if that item is an heirloom or memento, but will have to store a ‘‘vital’’ part at a different address. Exemptions were not made for sporting competitors. storage, transport and destruction of MSSAS. be considered by Cabinet in May and if necessary the amnesty could be extended by a month or so to run alongside the buyback. The swift new law was intended to get the weapons out of circulation, so it did not introduce a firearms register or change gun licence rules.

A second tranche of laws is being looked at, which will include measures to tighten firearm licensing and penalties, impose greater controls over a range of ammunition, and future-proof the Arms Act.

The second tranche will tighten the act to ensure it is able to respond to changes in technology and society – building in regulatory powers to try to manage people who might try to find ways around the law – and look at storage requirements.

Cabinet is expected to consider this tranche in early May, before the Budget, with plans to pass a law by the end of the year. It has been indicted that it will go through the standard four- and six-month Select Committee process.

Police are currently providing advice to officials on a gun register, something in the past they said had merit. This looks set to be a contentious issue with significant debate.

It has been signalled that ‘‘what constitutes a fit and proper person’’ would likely to become part of the debate.

This could include looking at a range of things such as more checks on people who want a firearms licence or want to become a dealer. It might look at what questions are being asked about the person, their views, social media and looking at their referees.

National looks set to seek exemptions for sporting shooters and push for firearms prohibition orders in the second tranche.