16 November 2018

New Conservative is calling for firearm offences to be subject to three strikes legislation in light of the three incidents in 36 hours involving firearms in South Auckland. When 50 people are walking the streets with 3 or more firearms convictions, then the system is failing.

It is obvious that police require extra resources for the vetting and validation of firearm licences. However, many crimes involving firearms are perpetrated by people who have no licence, therefore they are not subject to the screening process. Registering firearms would make little difference as those people that possess firearms without a licence are not going to register their weapons.

Making firearm offences subject to three strikes legislation would mean that people possessing a firearm without a licence, modifying a firearm, or illegally using a firearm, would be restricted to two offences before being incarcerated. This would empower the police, help remove firearms from society, and send a very strong message to the criminal community that New Zealand will not tolerate firearms used with criminal intent.

“The current system of warnings and home detentions has sent the wrong message,” says Leader, Leighton Baker. “Let’s fix the broken system and keep our communities safe.”

ENDS

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