Gun law plans sadden, disappoint Chch imam
The idea of returning semi-automatic weapons to gun ranges has left Christchurch’s Al Noor Mosque (Masjid An-Nur) Imam, Gamal Fouda, “saddened and disappointed”.
The Government is considering unwinding the ban on semi-automatic firearms for competitive shooters as it produces a new Arms Act. National and ACT agreed to rewrite the Arms Act – in place since the early 1980s – as part of its coalition arrangement.
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee recently confirmed she believes there is “some merit” in allowing competitive shooters to possess semi-automatic firearms that were largely banned from public use after the Christchurch mosque terror attacks, nearly five years ago.
Fouda, who became a public figure in the aftermath of the March 15, 2019, attacks, said what the Government was proposing was a “leap backwards.”
“I was proud as a New Zealander when our government took the steps to change the law after the terrorist attacks on our communities,” he said in a statement. “I was heartened to know that we had taken some steps to prevent other communities in New Zealand experiencing what we went through.
“We can never forget that the terrorist who attacked us purchased his guns legally and he was a registered member of a gun club.”
A ban of semi-automatic firearms in the immediate aftermath of the Christchurch terror attacks was broadly supported. In Parliament, all but McKee’s ACT Party backed the ban, though the National Party has said the ban on sport shooters “went too far”.
Fouda said he was hurt that no-one from government had come to talk to his community about it.
“On March 15, 2019, it was our Mosque communities who were the target, but hatred knows no bounds.”
He said there was always a risk of firearms falling into the wrong hands. “I’m concerned that reintroducing semi-automatics will compromise public safety and increase the risk of similar incidents occurring in the future. Semi-automatic weapons, particularly those designed for military use, pose a higher risk due to their rapid-fire capabilities and the potential for mass casualties if misused or stolen.”
The policy work writing a new Arms Act is already under way, together with other firearms reforms such as reviewing the firearms registry, and giving the Ministry of Justice rather than police responsibility for firearms regulation. McKee expected the reform programme would be completed within three years.
It was estimated the Labour government’s firearms buy-back and amnesty scheme paid out $120 million in compensation.
A scientific review of 130 studies in 10 countries showed relaxing firearms restrictions typically led to increased gun deaths.
“The tragic events of the 15th of March terror attacks highlighted the devastating consequences of easy access to military-style weapons,” Fouda said. “New Zealand is a safer place when we have laws that make it harder for those who hate to carry guns in their hands.”