Crackdown on guns in NZ
Ardern announces plan to ban deadly weapons in aftermath of terror attacks on mosques
NEW ZEALAND will ban military-style semi-automatic and assault rifles under tough new gun laws following the killing of 50 people in its worst mass shooting, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday.
In the aftermath of last Friday’s shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, Ardern labelled the attacks as terrorism and said New Zealand’s gun laws would change.
“On March 15, our history changed forever. Now our laws will too. We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place,” Ardern told a news conference.
“All semi-automatic weapons used during the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned.”
Ardern said she expected the new laws to be in place by April 11 and a buy-back scheme costing up to NZ$200 million (R1.95 billion) would be established for banned weapons.
All military-style semi-automatics (MSSA) and assault rifles would be banned, along with parts used to convert weapons into MSSAs and all high-capacity magazines.
Under existing gun laws, a standard A-category gun licence allows semi-automatics limited to seven shots.
Live-streamed video of a gunman in one of the mosques showed a semi-automatic weapon modified with a large magazine.
Australia banned semi-automatic weapons and launched a gun buyback after the Port Arthur, Tasmania, massacre in 1996 in which 35 people were killed.
Ardern said that similar to Australia, the law would allow for strictly enforced exemptions for farmers for pest control and animal welfare.
“I strongly believe that 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.”
New Zealand, a country of fewer than 5 million people, has an estimated 1.2-1.5 million firearms, about 13 500 of them MSSA-type weapons.
Most farmers own guns, while hunting of deer, pigs and goats is popular. Gun clubs and shooting ranges dot the country.
That has created a powerful lobby that has thwarted previous attempts to tighten gun laws.
Federated Farmers, which represents thousands of farmers, said it supported the new laws.
“This will not be popular among some of our members but we believe this is the only practicable solution,” spokesperson Miles Anderson said.
The main opposition National Party, which draws strong support in rural areas, said it also supported the ban.
The changes exclude two general classes of firearms commonly used for hunting, pest control and stock management on farms. Nada Tawfeek, who buried her father-in-law killed in the attacks, Hussein Moustafa, on Thursday, welcomed the ban. “It’s a great reaction. I think other countries need to learn from her (Ardern),” she said.
The first victims were buried on Wednesday and burials continued on Thursday, with the funeral of a school boy.
A mass burial was expected today. The bullet-riddled Al Noor mosque was being repaired, painted and cleaned ahead of prayers today. Ardern will attend the Muslim call to prayer and a two-minute silence at Hagley Park, opposite the mosque. The call to prayer will be telecast nationally.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist who was living in Dunedin, on New Zealand’s South Island, has been charged with murder following the attack.
He was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5.