Trade Me supports Government’s firearms law amendments

Trade Me is supportive of today’s announcement by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to reform New Zealand’s firearms laws.

Trade Me CEO Jon Macdonald said the company has pushed for stronger gun laws for a number of years and was pleased to see the changes signalled today. “We think today’s announcement was a move in the right direction.

“Clearly New Zealand has indicated, since the horrific attacks on Friday, that it wants change and we support that.

Mr Macdonald said the halt on sales of all semi-automatics on Trade Me would stay in place.

“We have never allowed military style semi-automatics (MSSAs) or high-capacity magazines on our site and we’re pleased to see the ban extended to the rest of the country. We already go beyond the new standards that the Prime Minister has announced.”

In addition to the changes announced today, Trade Me repeated its call for a firearms register. “We’ve been on public record advocating for a firearms register, including in a submission to Parliament in 2016. While we appreciate there is substantial work in the set-up of a register, we believe it would lead to a safer New Zealand in the long term.”

Trade Me also acknowledged the good work done by the NZ Police within the framework of the law. Last year the NZ Police and Trade Me worked together to ensure that any firearm sale required the buyer to have a valid licence through a real time check.

“Our requirements for buying firearms on Trade Me have always gone above and beyond the minimum legal standards and we intend to continue doing that.”

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