We urge Government and Police to be wary of an assertion that due to the NFA Australia is in some way a safer place than New Zealand – this is simply not true. The fact that these did not meet the threshold of ‘mass shooting’ is more directly attributed to the number of victims on site than anything else. There have been three recent incidents that had the potential to be mass shootings in Australia: the Lindz café, the more recent shootings in Northern Territory and the very recent shooting in Sydney. Similarly, whilst there were no mass shooting deaths of five or more in Australia from 1997 through 2006, some authors noted that it is impossible to prove that the NFA was the cause. New Zealand and Australia share a strikingly similar downward trendline in terms of suicide and homicide by firearm, a trend that started well before the NFA, with academics generally agreeing that it is difficult to attribute the downward trend solely to the NFA. FSCANZ observes that New Zealand Government and Police seem somewhat enamoured with the Australian model (the 1996 National Firearms Agreement in Australia – NFA).FSCANZ notes that similar characteristics apply to this arms amendment and are hopeful that similar advice has been provided. In terms of the speed at which firearms legislation is being amended, we note that in the 17 October 2019 Dom Post is it reported that Treasury advised Cabinet (in relation to changes in legislation proposed by the Minister of Education): “Treasury warns that bypassing the normal process would increase the risk of introducing regulation that could be unnecessary, ineffective or unnecessarily costly, and that the analysis of the bill thus far was manifestly incomplete”.However, we consider it important that before this Bill is considered the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into matters leading up to the Christchurch event should be taken into account. We do not consider that this detracts in any way from the need to establish controls that minimise the likelihood of events such as those in Christchurch.FSCANZ submits that the Select Committee consider that firearms are used in a safe manner in Aotearoa New Zealand, with death and injury, including non-intentional, suicide by firearm and homicide by firearm having reduced significantly over the last 50 years.FSCANZ submits that this remains a consideration and is pleased to see the proposal to establish the Firearms Advisory Group.Īotearoa New Zealand – an increasingly safe place, overall He thought that this needed to be addressed and said ‘it is accordingly a matter of some importance that, whatever variation on the current arrangements is selected, it incorporates some means of ensuring that competition with other work does not in future result in a similar suppression of the development and maintenance of an efficient arms control system’. High Court Judge Thorp in his 1997 Review of Arms Control in New Zealand (page 120) commented on ‘the arms business being given a progressively lower priority (by Police) and becoming under-resourced’.In their 2018 Annual Report (page 50) Police note that ‘due to increased demand in other Police priority areas, fewer resources have been available for firearms licensing activities in the 2017/18 year’. The FSCANZ has noted variable allocation of resources to the safe use and control of firearms, firearms safety training and the promotion of the safe use of firearms on the part of NZ Police.The ability of Police to manage safe use and control of firearms. We are mindful of Former High Court Dame Sian Elias’ comment: ‘legislation needs to be based on solid research, not pious hopes’. This is more about setting expectations of outcomes than supporting or opposing the Bill. As a result this submission focusses solely on the safe use of firearms as proposed in the Amendment Bill.
The objectives of the Council include, among other things, to provide advice to government agencies and other organisations, such as the media, on firearms safety related matters, and, to do other things as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to the attainment of the Council’s objectives.The formation of the FSCANZ in 2016 was motivated by the deep concern of firearms organisations for continued community safety and firearm user safety training.NZ, Rural Women NZ, Safari Club International. Membership of the FSCANZ includes the following organisations Pistol NZ, NZ Shooting Industries Assoc., NZ Shooting Fed., NZ Pighunting Assoc., NZ Antique and Historical Arms Assoc., NZ Blackpowder Fed., NZ Deerstalkers Assoc., NZ Service Rifle Assoc., Firearms Safety Specialists NZ Ltd., Federated Mountain Clubs, Target Shooting NZ, Sporting Shooters Assoc. It has been consulted with member organisations.This submission is made by the Firearms Safety Council of Aotearoa New Zealand (FSCANZ), which I chair.Joe Green – Chair of the Firearms Safety Council of Aotearoa New Zealand
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