By Whitney Tipton
New Zealand is running into resistance to its new gun buyback program and has seen only a fraction of weapons surrendered.
Just 1,000 of the 1.5 million guns estimated to qualify as prohibited have been turned over to New Zealand authorities as part of the country’s gun buyback program as of July 1, according to Radio New Zealand.
The new gun rules that include a ban on semi-automatic style weapons were passed by New Zealand’s parliament in April in the wake of the March 15 mosque shootings in Christchurch that killed 51 people.
Gun owners have an amnesty period until December 20 to turn them in for government compensation of up to 95 percent of their value. There is no national registry for weapons included in the ban.
New Zealand police officials don’t know what they response during the amnesty period, according to Deputy Commissioner Mike Clement, who said that extra staff have been added in 12 police districts to handle the anticipated work.
“All we’re doing is making sure we’re agile enough to meet the demand, and if we’re not, we’ll change it up to make sure that we are,” he said.
The new regulations face opposition, including a planned legal challenge from the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners, New Zealand’s leading gun lobby. The group plans to “take legal action, likely to be by way of a class action,” promised Secretary Nicole McKee, according to the Washington Post.
300 gun collection events are planned for the next three months in various locations including large sport stadiums. Authorities say they have informed registered firearm owners of the obligations, and have received 8,000 notifications of surrender through an online registration process.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has vowed to pass additional gun controls, including a national firearms registry and a more comprehensive background check.
It’s called doing the bidding of your masters. Sucking up to the politicians is the new way our police get the funding they think they need to fight the crime they are ignoring.
We need a new headline.
This has nothing to do with gun control , it is completely, absoludely in fact, about people control.
This is a nonsense article. The first handover event doesn’t take place until this Saturday at Riccarton Racecourse in Christchurch so it is absurd to be talking about compliance rates at this point in time when the confiscation process hasn’t even started yet. Hopefully there will be a near total boycott of this first “symbolic” event to send the government and police the strongest possible message that NZ’s law abiding shooters were not involved in the act of a foreign terrorist on our soil and should not be being scapegoated for obvious failures of the police to follow correct licencing procedures.
In the meantime COLFO has established the “Fair and Reasonable” campaign to fight these iniquitous laws and you can donate to the fighting fund if you are so minded:
https://www.fairandreasonable.co.nz/
I would like to know what a lawyer could do before donating. This is not like the US that has a constitution. If someone wins in court on the interpretation of the law the government just has to change the law again. Lobbying National has the most chance of success.
I love your humour.’Lobbying National’ LOL.
Lobbying National on this (or anything at all) would be about as effective as farting on a jelly.
Our country is
fuckedcucked.The response I received from National was disappointing, to say it politely. I was told the legislation was “measured”. That was, being polite, bollocks.
I have a 5-mile pile of shit down the road. That’s measured at 5 mile. The Nats are forever a useless bunch of socialists afraid of their socialists mates shadows, NO GUTS NATIONAL.
Posted @ HYS, but fits well in here.
Taonga. taonga. taonga,
Get into the spirit.
undisturbed exclusive use and possession of their taonga so what was considered valuable then, and still as well as modern radio waves, etc. plus
“If they are us”, so we become them, 🙂
“He iwi tahi tatou” “We are now one Nation”
“One law for all”
Despite being born in England of parents I was told were English and Scottish I have just discovered (well “felt” actually) that I have Maori blood, a small percentage admittedly but I “feel” very Maori and that is what really matters isn’t it?
You must keep your firearms then Alice. The cherished taonga of your people. //
Absolootleytootley!
Hold your hand out for proceds from the treaty, aswell!
According to New Zealand law, ethnicity has nothing to do with biology. You’re entitled to define your ethnicity however you feel; you can change it and have as many as you like.
However, to get special Maori grants etc. you are typically required to prove ancestry.
Yes I think the police should search ever gang house for weapons.
I am sure they are well maintained in a secure locker and registered.
Please Don’t hand them in.
Send a message to Ardern