Major reform to change gun laws in New Zealand

Wellington, April 11: Lawmakers in New Zealand voted almost unanimously on Wednesday for the Arms Amendment Bill passed its final reading to change gun laws. The decision came in less than a month after its worst mass shooting, in which 50 people were killed in attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on 15th March. Parliament passed the gun reform bill, the first substantial changes to New Zealand’s gun laws in decades, by 119 to 1. It must now receive royal assent from the governor general to become law.

A lone gunman used semi-automatic guns in the Christchurch mosque attacks, on people as they attended Friday prayers.

“There have been very few occasions when I have seen parliament come together in this way, and I can’t imagine circumstances when it is more necessary,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in presenting the legislation. “We are ultimately here because 50 people died and they do not have a voice,” she added. “We, in this house, are their voice and today we have used that voice wisely.”

Flowers and a New Zealand national flag are seen at a memorial as tributes to victims of the mosque attacks near Linwood mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 16, 2019. Since last month’s shooting, New Zealand has tightened security and cancelled several events in Auckland.

The bill grants an amnesty until September 30 for people to surrender prohibited items. More than 300 weapons had already been handed in, police minister Stuart Nash told parliament. The government has begun work on a second arms amendment bill it hopes to introduce in June, he said, adding that the measure would tackle issues regarding a gun registry, among others.