“Gun Control NZ extends our deepest sympathies to the victims of the Auckland shooting. Our thoughts are with the victims, their family and whānau, and all those who were traumatised by this attack. We also acknowledge the bravery of the first responders,” says Gun Control NZ co-founder Nik Green.

“This tragedy may well have been prevented if the gun registry were fully implemented. The introduction of firearms registration in the European Union has been credited with making it more difficult for criminals to access firearms. In Canada, firearms-related violent crime and firearms thefts declined when their register was in place but increased again when it was abolished (for partisan political reasons). The Canadian Police resisted the destruction of their gun register because it was helping them to prevent and solve crimes,” says Gun Control NZ co-founder Philippa Yasbek.

“A gun registry makes firearms owners much more accountable for their guns. They are much less likely to lend a firearm to their unlicensed mate or sell guns to criminals if they know that the gun can be traced back to them. The gun registry will only be fully implemented in 2028. That is not good enough. Gun Control NZ is calling on the government to fully implement the registry over the next two years,” says Nik Green.

“There are also serious questions to be asked about the availability of pump action shotguns in New Zealand. Pump action shotguns have a relatively high rate of fire and are more dangerous than say a bolt action rifle in a situation such as this. The Australian government has much stronger restrictions on pump action shotguns. Across the Tasman, only farmers can own them and they are limited to only a single shotgun. In New Zealand, anyone with an ordinary firearms licence can buy as many pump action shotguns as they like,” says Philippa Yasbek.

“Evidence from the United States shows that about two thirds of perpetrators of mass shootings have a history of family violence. We are incredibly fortunate in New Zealand that we have a ban on semi-automatic firearms which greatly reduces our risk of mass shootings. We also have reasonably good laws for ensuring that people with a history of family violence cannot obtain a firearms licence. Licence holders who commit acts of family violence have their licences cancelled and their firearms removed. The registry will also ensure that Police are able to remove all firearms from the household, reducing the chances of fatal outcomes,” says Nik Green.

“We won't see the benefits of the registry overnight but they will happen. The sooner we implement the registry, the sooner we will see the benefits,” says Philippa Yasbek.

Background information supporting this press release

Gun Control NZ commissioned a literature review on the value of firearms registers. This was undertaken by Jeff Loan (now a principal at Sapere). The literature review is available here: https://www.guncontrol.nz/s/GCNZ-Value-of-Firearm-Registration.pdf

Highlights of the literature review can also be found in this op-ed by Philippa Yasbek and Jeff Loan: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/117347138/why-a-gun-register-will-make-us-safer

“A gun registry makes..,” For an example of diversion of firearms by licensed firearms owners, see: Marty Sharpe “ 21 rifles bought in Napier were destined for Auckland during spike in gang gun crime” 12 May 2023. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300877104/21-rifles-bought-in-napier-were-destined-for-auckland-during-spike-in-gang-gun-crime

For an example of lending firearms to someone without a licence, see: Imran Ali “Details of Quinn Patterson's murder rampage revealed as man who supplied guns awaits sentence” 20 June 2018.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/details-of-quinn-pattersons-murder-rampage-revealed-as-man-who-supplied-guns-awaits-sentence/TLBYY46NAB6RAZCR64RAND4SBA/

"Evidence from the United States" for a useful overview see: https://www.thetrace.org/2021/06/mass-shooting-domestic-abuse-assault-data-san-jose/

“The registry will also ensure…” For an example of Police not managing to identify and remove all firearms from a licence holder, leading to the death of his estranged partner, see: Blair Ensor and Tony Wall “Flint Wallace was not allowed to have guns - he killed his former partner with a .22 calibre rifle” 13 May 2019 https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/112420637/flint-wallace-was-not-allowed-to-have-guns--he-killed-his-former-partner-with-a-22-calibre-rifle

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