The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) are concerned at the statements by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Minister Stuart Nash at the Post-Cabinet Press Conference this afternoon stating that firearm ownership and licences should be restricted to New Zealand citizens.

“No one was expecting the Government to require citizenship in order to enjoy the Kiwi pleasures of duck shooting, or deer stalking,” says Nicole McKee, the spokesperson for COLFO’s Fair and Reasonable campaign. “This would have the effect of revoking many thousands of licences, and mean that permanent residents can vote, be in our military, but not be allowed to own a firearm.”

“This is a step too far, and would have the effect of excluding permanent residents from pastimes which are central to rural communities.”

“What makes the announcement particularly strange is that despite media asking follow up questions, confirming the Ministers’ positions that only citizens will be able to obtain licences, nowhere in the written material can we find reference to this new restriction.”

“The Prime Minister and Minister of Police, are either not over the detail of what they propose, or have failed to mention what is one of the biggest changes to the law in any of the consultation material. Either way it creates uncertainty in a community that the Government should be working with, not against, to ensure New Zealand has reasonable and proportionate firearms law reform.”

Affected firearms licence holders are invited to join the campaign at www.fairandreasonable.co.nz.

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