Assessing the gun laws

New Zealand’s gun laws are currently under scrutiny and the theft of an arsenal of weapons from a Dunedin home late last month has only added fuel to calls for tougher legislation.

Five rifles and 23 handguns, including several military-style semi-automatic firearms, along with ammunition, were stolen from a Maitland St property. Of added concern were reports  a detailed list of weapons, and addresses of their owners, was also taken in the burglary.

Police have remained tight-lipped about the theft but there is real concern around the city about whose hands these weapons are now in, and whether other gun owners will be targeted.

Prompted by the theft, Prof Kevin Clements, of the University of Otago Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies,  renewed his call for firearms to be registered. The theft highlighted "major deficiencies" in New Zealand’s gun laws and individual weapons needed to be registered, just as owners are required to be, he said.

More regulations surrounding the safe and secure storage of guns were also needed.Prof Clements wanted  police to get club members to surrender their weapons and be secured by police which would remove any incentive for more criminal activity.

The Dunedin theft comes just months after  Parliament’s  law and order select committee began an inquiry into illegal firearms in New Zealand. The inquiry began in March following several high-profile incidents around the country, including police being shot at and the discovery, during a police raid, of 14 military assault-grade AK47s and M16s.

A concern from some  is that the review’s guidelines may be too narrow. Its main focus appears to be on the issue of illegal firearms, and how criminals and gangs are sourcing them. Police say they are dealing with an increased number of incidents involving gangs, guns and drugs. Last year police confiscated 1504 illegal firearms, a 50% increase on four years ago. 

The Police Association says its members are increasingly having weapons fired at them and it is time officers were armed. Police Minister  Judith Collins does not want a kneejerk reaction but when military-style rifles are being smuggled into the country the minister needs to find a suitable deterrent.

A  gun register is one option being considered by the committee but there are questions whether such a move would ultimately fall into the too-hard basket. A register has been labelled by some, particularly those aligned with gun clubs, as one which would fail to prevent, or solve, crime but instead  put more strain on police resources. There is also concern a database of gun owners and weapons could be hacked or that information leaked to criminals, resulting in more burglaries or robberies.

Rural Woman New Zealand believes a gun register would effectively create a "shopping list for criminals". A submission to the law and order committee claimed the long-term solution to the illegal possession of firearms  was to address  the factors which turned people to crime.

Increased penalties for firearm offences, more funding for police and Customs to deal with stolen or illegally imported weapons, and police giving higher priority to burglaries where firearms are involved are some alternatives put forward.

The well-worn argument is that a register would be pointless as compliant gun holders are not the ones causing the problems. Criminals having access to firearms is the real issue and most are not going to register their weapons.

Whatever the outcome of the select committee review, the debate is timely. It will again test whether the country’s current gun ownership and licensing regulations are effective and, more importantly, still in the best interests of all New Zealanders.