This Government bill repeals and replaces the Arms Act 1983 to provide greater protection of public safety, simplify regulatory requirements and improve compliance. It broadens the Act's principles so anyone carrying out regulated activities must act in the interests of personal, community and public safety, adds safeguards including preventing gang members from holding firearms licences, establishes an independent Firearms Licensing Review Committee, and simplifies licensing — including replacing dealer's licences with longer-duration business licences. It is still before Parliament.
Parliament advanced this bill under urgency (first reading) — moving it through faster than usual, with less time than normal for public submissions.
A Government bill that repeals and replaces the 1983 Arms Act — the main law on firearms licensing and ownership — aiming to protect public safety while simplifying the rules for licensed owners. Key changes include setting up an independent firearms regulator and a new Firearms Licensing Review Committee (a review body separate from Police), explicitly barring gang members from holding a licence, and replacing dealer's licences with longer-term business licences.
The rewrite stems from a coalition commitment and was led by Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee. It also adds new offences (such as for 3D-printed firearms and unsafe storage), raises many penalties, and allows some approved off-site storage. Supporters say it is fairer and keeps firearms out of criminals' hands; critics, including some gun-control advocates, worry that moving licensing functions outside Police could weaken oversight.
See the Parliament.nz ↗ site for the full bill.