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Gun violence, gun control and small arms
Unlicensed NZ Soldier in Court After Being Found Drunk with Loaded Gun
17 May 2013
Stuff (New Zealand)
A soldier has admitted having a loaded rifle when he was drunk at home the day after his discharge from the army.
Christchurch District Court Judge Alistair Garland said it was "unforgivable" that 38-year-old Samuel George Ottley had the rifle lying on his bed underneath a sleeping bag, with bullets in the magazine.
"You are army-trained. You should know better than to have a firearm with any bullets in it at all in your home," the judge said when Ottley pleaded... (GunPolicy.org)
Survey Shows Half NZ Region's Gun Users Unlicensed, Training Offered
23 April 2013
Radio New Zealand
More than 1000 people have had a firearms safety lecture and test - as part of a programme mostly designed for Maori.
The two-year-old scheme called Whakatupato is run by the Mountain Safety Council in rural areas.
It was set up after a 2005 survey showed about half of the gun users in Te Urewera didn't have a firearms licence, which means they weren't being told about the potential dangers.
Mountain Safety Council manager Tracy Wakeford said elders are helping them... (GunPolicy.org)
Fijian in Court on Charges of Neglecting Gun Safety After Death
30 January 2013
Fiji Times
Pilot Mohammed Rizwan Khan has been refused bail by the Lautoka Magistrates Court for offences relating to the death of six-year old Mohammed Khubayb Salman Khan last weekend.
Appearing before Magistrate Sujeewa Nishanka, Mr Khan was charged with one count of failure to maintain arms in a safe and secure custody and one count of manslaughter by negligence or breach of duty.
While ruling on Mr Khan's bail application by his lawyer Vishal Pillay, Magistrate Nishanka... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Teen Dies in Airgun Shooting, Lobby Says No Law Change Needed
14 January 2013
Radio New Zealand
A post-mortem has revealed an 18-year-old killed in an airgun accident in Auckland was shot through the heart.
Shaun Townsley was fatally shot while he and a group of friends were drinking and firing air rifles and air pistols at cans at his home in the South Auckland suburb of Manurewa on Saturday evening.
Police say the shooting appeared to be accidental but an investigation is looking at whether charges relating to careless or dangerous use of a firearm should be... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Finland,Colombia,Mexico,Western Europe,Australia,Yemen,Canada,New Zealand,United States
On Guns and Gun Law, America an Outlier Among Developed Nations
20 December 2012
Huffington Post (USA)
How freely do guns flow in the United States compared with the world's other industrialized countries?
According to GunPolicy.org, run by Philip Alpers, a firearms analyst at The University of Sydney, the United States is unusual with what Alpers described as the "two pillars" of gun control: licensing gun owners and registering weapons.
"You are basically the only country in the developed world that doesn't license gun owners across the board and you are almost alone... (GunPolicy.org)
Expert Says NZ Gun Laws Not Tight Enough, Registry Needed
18 December 2012
3 News (New Zealand)
Despite New Zealand's reputation for tight gun regulation, one anti-gun lobbyist says we are still leaving ourselves exposed.
Professor Kevin Clements, director of the National Centre of Peace and Conflict Studies at Otago University, says current laws around gun registration are loose and leave room for abuse.
"The registered arms owners [might have] a large amount of weapons but we don't know how many, where they are, what sort they are and whether they might fall... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Support 'More Distinctive' Fake Guns After Toy Causes Seige
22 November 2012
Stuff (New Zealand)
One can kill while the other is a toy, but police are finding it increasingly difficult to tell the difference as fake firearms become more realistic.
Armed police raided a house in the Wellington suburb of Johnsonville on Tuesday after a member of the public reported seeing a gun being pointed through a window.
It turned out the gun was a toy given as a 10th birthday present. A man, 21, has been charged with possession of an imitation firearm.
Last year, film-makers... (GunPolicy.org)
Lack of Gun Registration Puts Police at Risk in New Zealand
12 November 2012
Herald (New Zealand), Editorial
Police can only guess the number of firearms - legal and illegal - in the country.
This country has been spared a criminal fraternity that wields firearms as a matter of course. Indeed, according to police statistics, guns are involved in just 1 per cent of violent crime. Yet any comfort to be derived from this statistic must be tempered by data released recently to the Herald under the Official Information Act. This showed 325 illegal firearms were seized in police... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Seizures Rising in NZ But Police Lack Data on Owners, Thefts
6 November 2012
New Zealand Herald
Hundreds of illegal firearms are being seized each year in police raids - but there is no record of how many guns are stolen to fuel the black market.
New figures show 325 firearms were seized in the financial year to June, the lowest number in the past five years and down from a peak of 1146 the previous year.
Most of the illegal firearms are stolen in residential burglaries or from collectors by organised criminal groups, police documents released under the Official... (GunPolicy.org)
8-Year-Old Samoan Boy Accidentally Shoots, Kills 5-Year-Old Cousin
29 October 2012
Stuff (New Zealand)
The Kiwi father of a 5-year-old boy shot dead by his 8-year-old cousin has flown to Samoa to be with the child's body.
James May was visiting the village of Samamea, 44km from the capital Apia, with his family when he, his cousin and uncle went into the woods to shoot pigeons and collect coconuts on Wednesday, Samoa's Weekend Observer reported.
James was shot in the face and killed.
The shooting happened when the uncle reportedly put the loaded gun down briefly while... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Scotland,England & Wales,New Zealand,United Kingdom
British Police Reject Idea of More Guns Despite Deaths
19 September 2012
BBC News, Opinion
The deaths of two female police constables have brought into focus the unarmed status of most British police. Why does Britain hold firm against issuing guns to officers on the beat?
It's the single most obvious feature that sets the British bobby apart from their counterparts overseas.
Tourists and visitors regularly express surprise at the absence of firearms from the waists of officers patrolling the streets.
But to most inhabitants of the UK - with the notable... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Police Admit Losing Three Handguns, Taser
15 September 2012
TVNZ (New Zealand)
Three police-issued Glock pistols, gun parts and a Taser have been lost or stolen - and police have no idea where any of them might be.
They have also damaged a further 33 weapons in the past five years, including two rifles that were run over, information obtained by The Dominion Post has revealed.
Superintendent Barry Taylor said that, though any weapon going missing was "not acceptable", the number lost was small.
Two of the Glocks "went missing while in transit... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Police Say Illegal Imported Guns Intended for Crime
8 September 2012
Stuff (New Zealand)
Thousands of illegal and restricted weapons, including machine guns, swords and "stun gun knuckle dusters", are being seized at the New Zealand border every year.
Figures given to The Dominion Post show 13,801 items classified as weapons were intercepted by the New Zealand Customs Service between January 2010 and July 2012 - an average of more than 14 a day.
The detailed breakdown of items, discovered at airports, seaports, mail centres and during raids, revealed... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Parents Of Shot Teen Want Gun Law Change, Police Say No Need
13 August 2012
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Aaron Grimwood should have turned 21 tomorrow.
But instead of celebrating his birthday his parents will be campaigning for tighter gun laws, after he was shot dead by a close friend.
"We definitely don't want any other families to go through hell," his mother Ann-Maree Grimwood said.
In September 2010, after an inquest into Mr Grimwood's death, Wellington coroner Ian Smith recommended Parliament consider a review of the law with a view to establishing a range of... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Firearms Instructor On Trial After Fatal Deer Hunt
27 July 2012
3 News (New Zealand)
A former president of the Wellington Deerstalkers' Association has pleaded guilty to the fatal shooting of fellow hunter Cameron McDonald.
Christopher Dummer says he thought he was shooting at the red shoulder of a deer, when in fact he shot at the orange beanie Mr McDonald was wearing for safety.
As a mountain safety firearms instructor Dummer was approved by police to train and test new gun licence applicants.
Today he pleaded guilty to the careless use of a... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Boy's Gun Death Preventable, Better Safety Needed - Police
12 July 2012
3 News (New Zealand)
The 10-year-old boy shot dead on Tuesday in East Cape has been named as Patrick Brass.
Police say his death could have been prevented if the firearm involved had been locked away.
The boy died on Tuesday following an incident involving a firearm in Waikura Valley and it is believed he was with two teenagers.
The local school principal says the boy comes from a local shearing family and was at Te Kumi station.
The police are investigating to find out what... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Clarifies Definition of Military-Style Semi-automatic Weapons
23 May 2012
Office of the Minister of Police (New Zealand), Media release
Police Minister Anne Tolley says a Bill that clarifies the definition of military style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs), and places controls on the importation of airguns that look like real pistols, MSSAs or restricted weapons has passed its second reading in Parliament.
The Arms (Military Style Semi-Automatic Firearms and Import Controls) Amendment Bill requires importers of such airguns to have a special permit from Police.
"Replica firearms can easily be mistaken... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Gun Dealer Offers Machine Guns, Anti-aircraft Gun for Sale
9 December 2011
New Zealand Herald / APNZ
A Christchurch arms dealer is trading high-calibre weapons more associated with freedom fighters in Libya than librarians in Linwood.
David Tipple of Gun City is selling for a bargain price of $1499 anti-aircraft cannons designed to shoot jet-fighters out of the sky.
Also available are German machineguns from the Battle of Stalingrad, MP5 9mm sub-machineguns starting from $14,999, as well as "very rare" 9mm UZI machineguns - down from $12,000 - Russian AK47s, .303... (GunPolicy.org)
'Don't Put Your Loaded Firearm in Your Pocket', Say New Zealand Police
17 October 2011
New Zealand Herald / APNZ
A Waikato man who shot himself with a pistol down his pants was lucky he didn't hit an artery and die, police say.
The 35-year-old shot himself while trying to hide a gun from police while returning from possum-hunting with his brother on Friday night.
The man did not have a licence for the .22 pistol he had in his pants and was attempting to get rid of it before police saw it, Sergeant Jim Corbett of Thames Strategic Traffic Unit said today.
Officers were called to... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand $1 Father's Day Gun Sale Tactic 'Sick and Sad'
1 September 2011
New Zealand Herald
A Father's Day promotion at an Auckland gun shop offering a "mystery firearm" for $1 to the first person to spot it on the racks has been labelled sick, sad and irresponsible.
But the man behind the bargain stands by his offer and says the dad who gets the gun will be "God blessed".
As part of its annual Father's Day sale Gun City in Mt Roskill is offering a special deal to one lucky punter on Saturday. If they spot the gun with the $1 price tag - it's theirs to buy,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Almost Alone in Not Registering Most Guns, Should Change
31 August 2011
New Zealand Herald, Editorial
According to Crown prosecutor Scott McColgan, "getting illegal firearms off the street, under any circumstances, can only be good". He was, therefore, keen for a manufacturer of methamphetamine to get a reduced prison sentence in return for handing over 15 illegal rifles and guns. Judge Roy Wade agreed, and William James McFarlane had his sentence cut from 16 to 14 years when he appeared recently in the Auckland District Court.
But Mr McColgan was only half right.... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Worker Hid Machine Gun, Other Guns, Lied to Cops, No Conviction
30 July 2011
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Military memorabilia enthusiast Patrick Phipps says he is giving up gun collecting after a judge discharged him without conviction for having two semi and fully automatic rifles hidden in plastic mannequins.
In the Wellington District Court yesterday Phipps was ordered to donate $3000 to the Starship Foundation, which Phipps said he was happy to do before leaving court.
"I would support that charity anyway, and I am happy to do it," he said after the hearing.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,Indonesia,New Zealand,South Korea,China,Russia,South Africa
New Zealand Police Promise Gun Ban for Rugby World Cup Bodyguards
14 July 2011
Stuff (New Zealand)
Foreign bodyguards will be banned from carrying weapons when protecting overseas dignitaries at this year's Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand police will assume full responsibility for the protection of visiting heads of state and VIPs at the tournament, which starts two days before the 10th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks.
Visiting security agents were permitted to carry weapons to protect foreign leaders during the 1999 Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Considers Import Ban on Military Weapon Airgun Lookalikes
23 June 2011
New Zealand Herald
A proposal banning imports of airguns that look like the military weapons will have little impact on the the number available or on criminals using them to intimidate people, parliament has been told.
The Arms (Military Style Semi-automatic Firearms And Import Controls) Amendment Bill would ban importing airguns that look like real pistols, military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs) or restricted weapons - unless a police permit is granted.
The bill, which is before the... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Dealers: NZ New Laws on Imports of Imitation Guns Will Be Ineffective
14 May 2011
3 News (New Zealand)
The owner of the country's biggest gun store says new rules aimed at restricting imports of airguns which replicate the real thing will do little to reduce crime.
An amendment to the Arms Act will mean people who import replica airguns must first obtain a permit from the commissioner of police.
David Tipple imports around 10,000 airguns every year and he now fears around 20 percent or 2,000 of those guns will require a permit before he can bring them in.
"Under the... (GunPolicy.org)
Charges Laid After 15yr-old New Zealand Girl Shot with Neighbour's Pistol
21 April 2011
New Zealand Press Association
A man has been charged with careless use of a firearm after a 15-year-old girl was accidentally shot in the abdomen in Rolleston, southwest of Christchurch.
The girl was inside a house when a pistol was discharged from an adjoining garage on Monday night.
"When it's [the pistol] discharged, it's [the bullet] gone through the garage into the house and ricocheted off a fridge," Detective Sergeant Ross Tarawhiti, of Southern CIB, told The Press.
The girl suffered... (GunPolicy.org)
Imitation Handguns, Assault Weapons Face New Zealand Import Curbs
15 April 2011
New Zealand Press Association
The Government is to tighten import controls on airguns that look like real pistols, military style semi-automatic firearms (MSSAs) or restricted weapons.
Police Minister Judith Collins said replicas were frequently used by criminals as they were easily mistaken for real firearms.
"Police estimate that there could be up to one incident a week where a member of the public presents an airgun that looks like a real pistol, MSSA, or restricted weapon requiring an armed... (GunPolicy.org)
New Police Boss Won't Allow Officers to Carry Guns in New Zealand
5 April 2011
TVNZ
The new Police Commissioner says he's not about to allow a gun on the hip of every New Zealand police officer.
Commissioner Peter Marshall says arming officers will not increase their safety.
Marshall, who started the job yesterday after taking over from Howard Broad who has retired, told ONE News that the officers he had spoken to did not want to carry guns.
"What they want is greater access to firearms and I agree with that," he said.
He said it's likely firearms... (GunPolicy.org)
Kindergarten Kids Get Gun Licences in New Zealand Preschool Experiment
30 March 2011
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Four-year-old preschooler Lucy Coup has already earned her own gun licence.
Like the other children at her Auckland kindergarten, and in childcare centres around New Zealand, the youngster hangs the laminated licence from a string around her neck when she plays with her toy gun – but she must shoot at the target.
"We don't shoot people, because it might hurt them," Lucy says firmly.
Instead of banning gun play, many early education centres are adopting a policy... (GunPolicy.org)
Pre-schoolers Earning 'Firearm Licences' at New Zealand Kindergartens
30 March 2011
New Zealand Herald
Kids with imaginary guns are learning real safety lessons at kindergartens and early childcare centres around the country.
At some centres, children earn a "gun licence" once they learn the rules around handling firearms. Children make their own guns out of cardboard and paper and if they break the rules they lose their licence.
New Zealand Kindergartens chief executive Claire Wells said the idea - which she understood had been thought of by some centres "quite some... (GunPolicy.org)
Kindergarten Kids Issued 'Firearm' Licences in New Zealand Experiment
30 March 2011
TVNZ (Christchurch)
Children as young as four are making fake gun licences as part of kindy lessons on firearm safety.
Staff in day care centres say teaching them about gun safety at such an early age will lead to a greater sense of responsibility about firearms.
Children at one Wellington kindergarten told TV ONE's Close Up that they will lose their self-made gun licence if they break any rules.
One child said the licence rule was "not to shoot any people", while another said "you... (GunPolicy.org)
He Put Gun in My Mouth, Former Wife Tells Inquest Into 3 NZ Gun Deaths
16 February 2011
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Desmond Winnie murdered his wife and father-in-law then shot himself, a court has been told. And a former wife said he had once threatened her by putting a gun in her mouth.
The bodies of Mr Winnie, 65, Deborah Honeyfield, 51, and her father, Ian Ray Honeyfield, 86, were found in their home just outside Feilding, on August 23.
Detective Sergeant Gary Milligan, of Palmerston North, told an inquest into their deaths yesterday that a caregiver found Mr Winnie's body... (GunPolicy.org)
United Kingdom,Israel,Germany,China,Canada,United States,New Zealand,Australia
World Media Reacts to Arizona Shooting: America's Gun Laws Are Nuts
11 January 2011
Wrap (California)
While the shootings in Tucson continue to inflame the debate over violent rhetoric in American politics, the international media's reaction to the tragedy is largely focused on alleged killer Jared Lee Loughner's weapon of choice: a gun.
In doing so, it's gotten to the debate over gun laws faster than a U.S. media hung up on the politics.
"This guy was a nutjob. What he did was sick and evil," a Tucson gunshop owner told Agence France-Presse in a piece entitled,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Police Commissioner Promises 'No Routine Arming' of Officers
13 December 2010
TVNZ News
Police Commissioner Howard Broad says he will be ensuring his staff have greater access to firearms.
Broad has received a draft report on firearms access and availability and the report is expected to be finalised before Christmas.
"We will be taking the firearms out of the station and into cars," he said.
"It will still be left to the judgement of the individual officer to make an assessment of the risks and the nature of the threat as to when it is appropriate to... (GunPolicy.org)
Arming New Zealand Police Not the Answer to Criminal Violence - Greens
13 December 2010
Newstalk ZB Radio (New Zealand)
Green MP Keith Locke is against arming police despite the machete attack on Senior Constable Bruce Mellor near Taihape
The Green Party believes arming frontline police officers won't necessarily stop attacks on them.
The Police Minister is talking to the Police Commissioner about giving officers greater access to firearms following the weekend's machete attack on Senior Constable Bruce Mellor near Taihape.
Green MP Keith Locke says while the current policy could be... (GunPolicy.org)
Machete Cop Attack Reignites Debate Over Arming New Zealand Police
13 December 2010
New Zealand Herald
The Police Minister will meet the Police Commissioner today to discuss a report on whether to give officers easier access to firearms following the brutal machete attack on a policeman on Saturday morning.
Senior Constable Bruce Mellor remained in a serious but stable condition in Palmerston North Hospital this morning after suffering a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and jaw and broken front teeth, a "patchwork" of cuts to his face, skull, arms and hands and a... (GunPolicy.org)
Lone Cop Machete Attack Brings New Call to Arm New Zealand Police
12 December 2010
Associated Press
WELLINGTON - There were fresh calls on Sunday for New Zealand's unarmed police to carry guns after a lone constable was attacked with a machete, leaving slashes across his face, deep cuts and fractures to his head and arms and severing a finger.
Senior constable Bruce Mellor, 57, was attacked and left to die after he pulled over two teens driving a stolen car late Saturday during a routine stop, Detective Inspector Chris Bensemann said. A passing motorist spotted the... (GunPolicy.org)
I Am a Stupid Killer, a Loser Says NZ Hunter Who Mistook Woman for Deer
29 November 2010
New Zealand Herald
With tears in his eyes and a breaking voice, the hunter who shot dead Rosemary Ives made his first public statement last night.
"Idiot. Killer. Stupid. Loser. Call me what you like because I have called myself these things a million times and worse," Andrew Mears, 25, said.
Mears shot 25-year-old Ms Ives dead while she was brushing her teeth at a Turangi camp ground. Mears mistook a light on her head for the eyes of a deer.
Speaking directly into the camera and... (GunPolicy.org)
Loaded Handgun Found in Passenger's Bag on Tahiti-Auckland Flight
28 November 2010
New Zealand Herald
An international traveller packed a loaded handgun in his luggage and got it into Auckland Airport.
The Bauer .25-calibre gun was found after he had collected his luggage and put it through a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry x-ray machine as he prepared to leave the airport.
The passenger, Baptiste Julien Jeune, 69, had arrived on a flight from Tahiti, and had been cleared by New Zealand Customs officers.
The MAF officer who discovered it while x-raying the bag... (GunPolicy.org)
Iran,North Korea,China,Thailand,New Zealand
UN Security Council Reveals New Zealand Role in Global Gun Running
12 November 2010
Stuff (New Zealand)
New Zealand's role in allowing easy shell company creation has been revealed by a UN Security Council report as a key component in efforts by North Korea to break international arms trading sanctions.
A 75-page report on North Korea's sanctions busting efforts was released by the council in New York today after its publication was blocked for six months by China, a key ally for North Korea.
Written by a panel of experts it also reveals some new details about a... (GunPolicy.org)
Internet Trading Site May Ban 'Troublesome ' New Zealand Gun Auctions
7 November 2010
Sunday Star Times (New Zealand)
Popular online auction website Trade Me has signalled it may put a stop to its controversial practice of selling firearms.
In a newly published book, Trade Me – The Inside Story, Trade Me boss Mike O'Donnell defends the website's decision to allow the sale of firearms but says he can see the time coming when listings for firearms are no longer accepted.
"I see a time coming when we remove all firearms from Trade Me simply because they are more trouble than they are... (GunPolicy.org)
Careless Hunter Kills Camper: New Zealand Faces Gun Control Debate
26 October 2010
Manawatu Standard (New Zealand), Opinion
Gun control is once again under public scrutiny following the tragic shooting death of Lower Hutt teacher Rosemary Ives.
While the matter is before the courts, and a 25-year-old Hamilton faces a weapon charge next month, it appears her death was a disastrous case of mistaken identity.
Ms Ives, also 25, could not have been more of an innocent victim as she was brushing her teeth and standing next to her partner, Adam Hyndman, when she was hit on Friday night.
Some... (GunPolicy.org)
Woman Brushing Teeth at Campsite Shot, Killed by New Zealand Hunter
24 October 2010
New Zealand Herald
A young woman on a camping holiday has been shot in the head and killed while brushing her teeth by a hunter who thought she was an animal.
Her partner and others spent a desperate 90 minutes trying to keep her alive in a remote area of bush near Turangi.
The woman was Rosemary Margaret Ives, a 25-year-old secondary school teacher from Lower Hutt.
"People were around the girl's body and her partner was doing CPR on her," said Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter pilot... (GunPolicy.org)
Hunter Charged After Woman Shot Dead at New Zealand Camp Site
23 October 2010
New Zealand Press Association
A woman is dead and a hunter has been charged after a shooting near Turangi, south of Taupo last night.
Detective Senior Sergeant Todd Pearce said the body of the 25-year-old woman was found after police said ambulance officers were called to the Kaimanawa Ranges about 11pm yesterday.
He said the 25-year-old hunter from Hamilton was with a group of other hunters, and did not know the victim whose name would not be released until all her next-of-kin had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Papua New Guinea,New Zealand,Oceania,Australia
Lack of Legislation Leaves Pacific, NZ Wide Open to Illegal Arms Trading
20 October 2010
ABC News (Australia), Transcript
A new report on illegal arms trading has singled out New Zealand as an example of a country where weaknesses in company law allow the trade to proliferate.
The report, Brokers without Borders, by the international aid organisation Oxfam, draws on the example of a shipment of conventional weapons that was intercepted in Thailand en route from North Korea to Iran in December last year.
It transpired that the plane chartered to carry the illegal shipment had been leased... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand,Thailand,North Korea
North Korea-Bangkok Gun Runners Show NZ Vulnerable to Arms Trafficking
19 October 2010
New Zealand Herald
Gaps in New Zealand's company laws that leave the country vulnerable to illegal arms traders need to be addressed urgently, an Oxfam report says.
The report, Brokers without Borders, was released yesterday and highlighted the need for a global arms trade treaty.
It holds New Zealand up as an example of how illicit arms brokers continue to use international networks of companies to exploit regulatory gaps, when detailing an incident last December when a 35-tonne cache... (GunPolicy.org)
Iran,New Zealand,North Korea,Thailand
Oxfam Report Details New Zealand's Vulnerability in Global Gun Trade
19 October 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Gaps in New Zealand's company laws that leave the country vulnerable to illegal arms traders need to be addressed urgently, an Oxfam report says.
The report, Brokers without Borders, was released yesterday and highlighted the need for a global arms trade treaty.
It holds New Zealand up as an example of how illicit arms brokers continue to use international networks of companies to exploit regulatory gaps, when detailing an incident last December when a 35-tonne cache... (GunPolicy.org)
Powerful Airguns Now Only Legal for Licensed New Zealand Gun Owners
15 October 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Police have welcomed a law change which means people must have a firearms license to own the type of air rifle used to murder police undercover officer Sergeant Don Wilkinson.
The law change comes after the Government moved to reclassify pre-charged pneumatic (PCP) air rifles after they were used in the Auckland murders of Mr Wilkinson in 2008 and Keith Kahi in July this year.
Police national coordinator of firearms control, Inspector Joe Green said the law change... (GunPolicy.org)
Easier Gun Access Likely for New Zealand Police, While PM Prefers Taser
14 October 2010
Press (Christchurch)
Prime Minister John Key says he wants police to have more ready access to Tasers in a bid to head off a possible drift towards more officers being routinely armed with guns.
Police Minister Judith Collins yesterday said she supports equipping all police vehicles with lock boxes for firearms.
The shooting of Senior Constable Bruce Lamb and Constable Mitchel Alatalo during a routine callout in Christchurch in July high lighted the risks officers face from armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Unarmed Police 'Big Part' of Good Relations with Public in New Zealand
13 October 2010
Voxy (Wellington)
Faster and easier access by police to firearms looks likely to become a reality once a review of the issue by Police Commissioner Howard Broad is complete.
Mr Broad has been working on proposals to ensure officers have firearms close at hand if they need them and is due to report back to Police Minister Judith Collins before the end of the year.
Ms Collins said an option was likely to be to have lock-boxes in the front of patrol cars, and work was already being done... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Predict 'Someone Will Be Shot' Unless More NZ Airguns Controlled
11 October 2010
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Replica firearms not covered by a law change coming into effect this week could just as easily cost a life if they appear real, police warn after incidents in Napier.
Napier Detective Sergeant Emmet Lynch and his colleagues have dealt with three firearms in the past week that were either replicas or looked like more powerful weapons.
One, a rifle that fires slug pellets, was used in a random drive-by shooting in which a man was shot in the stomach while socialising... (GunPolicy.org)
Coroner Calls for Gun Law Changes After Shooting Death of NZ Boy
28 September 2010
New Zealand Herald
Parliament has been asked to consider changing firearms laws following an inquest into the death of a 17-year-old who was accidentally shot by his friend.
Aaron Phillip Grimwood died on November 15, 2008, after another 17-year-old, Raven Dallas Walters, shot him in the chest with a .22 calibre rifle from a distance of less than 10cm.
In a report released today, Wellington Coroner Ian Smith said the boys, who were long-time friends, had taken the rifle and a shotgun... (GunPolicy.org)
Deny Gun Licence by Blacklisting More Suspect People, Say NZ Shooters
11 September 2010
Radio New Zealand
A firearms lobby group is calling for a register to stop what it describes as people unfit to hold firearm licences obtaining them.
It follows the inquest into the deaths of Constable Len Snee and gunman Jan Molenaar during the Napier siege last year.
The Coroner's findings, released this month, fault the police for a lack of appropriate intelligence-gathering about Mr Molenaar.
A review of the Arms Act was also recommended and the police say they are working on... (GunPolicy.org)
Coroner's Report 'Could Lead to Sweeping Changes' to NZ Gun Laws
4 September 2010
Dominion Post (Wellington)
The violent deaths of Napier gunman Jan Molenaar and the police officer he shot, sparking a 50-hour siege, could lead to sweeping changes to gun laws.
Coroner David Crerar has recommended the Government review the Arms Act – including revisiting a suggested ban on military-style semi-automatics – as part of his findings into the deaths of Molenaar and Senior Constable Len Snee last May.
He levelled criticism at the community, saying it was "a matter of enduring... (GunPolicy.org)
Thailand,North Korea,Iran,New Zealand
NZ Woman Linked to North Korea-Iran Arms Trafficking, Guilty Plea Tipped
2 September 2010
New Zealand Press Association
A director of a New Zealand firm allegedly linked to arms traffickers reappeared in court today.
Lu Zhang, 28, is accused of 75 offences of making false statements in company registration forms after she declared her office address was her residence in 75 companies she registered.
She was charged after a plane loads of weapons, including rockets and grenades, from North Korea bound for Iran was seized in Bangkok last year.
The Russian-made aircraft was allegedly... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Green Party Wants More Gun Control, All Guns Registered
26 July 2010
NZCity
The Green Party wants the Government to go further with its changes to gun laws.
Police Minister Judith Collins has confirmed that people in possession of high powered pneumatic air guns will have to be licensed but she is rejecting calls for across the board firearm registration.
Ms Collins says most criminals caught with weapons do not hold firearms licenses so would be unlikely to register their weapons, but Green MP Keith Locke questions that reasoning.
"It's... (GunPolicy.org)
Soon Only Licensed Gun Owners to Own Lethal Airguns in New Zealand
26 July 2010
Press (Christchurch)
Criminals will be deprived of their "weapon of choice" by a proposed law change, Police Minister Judith Collins says.
Collins yesterday announced high-powered airguns would be reclassified so they could only be owned by those with a firearms licence.
The proposed change could be implemented by November through an amendment to the Arms Order.
However, Collins said there were no plans to try to register all firearms, something that had been an "expensive failure" in... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Minister Announces Crackdown on Lethal Airguns in New Zealand
25 July 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Owners of high-powered airguns will require a firearms licence within a matter of months, the Government announced today.
The move follows the deaths of undercover police officer Sergeant Don Wilkinson, who was shot and killed with an air rifle in 2008, and Auckland man Keith Kahi, who was shot and killed earlier this month.
The change would apply to pre-charged pneumatic air guns, but not older-style, spring-loaded airguns, guns powered by CO2 cartridges, BB guns or... (GunPolicy.org)
International Comparison Shows NZ Gun Homicide Rate Dropped Fastest
24 July 2010
New Zealand Herald
Gun killings in New Zealand have declined the most in an international comparison - even though this country has less strict licensing laws than Canada and Australia.
A forthcoming article in the peer-reviewed Journal of Interpersonal Violence, published by United States-based Sage Publications, found New Zealand had "the most pronounced decline in firearm homicide over the past two decades".
The study suggests unemployment rates and the availability of heroin are... (GunPolicy.org)
Police 'Don't Have a Clue' How Many Guns There Are in New Zealand
20 July 2010
Press (Christchurch)
Police do not know how many illegal firearms are circulating in New Zealand.
The issue of gun control has been raised after the shooting of two officers and a police dog in Christchurch last week.
In the past month, firearms have been used in a number of raids on Canterbury pubs, a PostShop and dairies.
In Canterbury, there are 31,760 firearm licence-holders, with about 225,000 nationally.
It is believed there are about 1.2 million firearms in New Zealand.
However,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Moves to Restrict Airgun Model Used to Kill Police Officer
15 July 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Police Minister Judith Collins says the Government is looking seriously at legislation to restrict the sale of powerful air rifles which are being blamed for two slayings in Auckland.
Police Sergeant Don Wilkinson died after he was shot with an FX Monsoon airgun while on an undercover drugs operation in 2008.
And now it has been revealed that the same type of weapon was used in the slaying of Keith Kahi, 44, in the eastern Auckland suburb of Botany Downs nine days... (GunPolicy.org)
In Unarmed New Zealand, Hundreds of Police Cars Routinely Carry Guns
15 July 2010
New Zealand Herald
Hundreds of police cars carry gun safes, and central Auckland officers draw weapons from their vehicles nearly twice a week, Herald inquiries have found.
Commissioner Howard Broad is looking at giving police greater access to firearms.
In Christchurch on Tuesday, two officers were injured and a police dog was shot dead.
Constable Mitchel Alatalo was hit in the thigh and dog handler Bruce Lamb in the jaw. The dog, Gage, died at the scene.
The group were fired on as... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Again Considers Restricting High-Powered Air Rifle Sales
14 July 2010
New Zealand Herald
Police Minister Judith Collins says the Government is looking seriously at legislation to restrict the sale of high-powered air rifles which are being blamed for two recent slayings in Auckland.
Police Sergeant Don Wilkinson died after he was shot with a FX Monsoon air gun while on a undercover drugs operation in 2008.
And now it has been revealed the same type of weapon was used in the slaying of Keith Kahi, 44, in the eastern Auckland suburb of Botany Downs nine... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Got Licence Despite Concerns, Fired at NZ Police, Shot Dead
18 June 2010
New Zealand Herald
A Christchurch gunman was issued a gun licence - despite a referee's concerns - just two years before he turned his guns on police, wounding an officer and a neighbour.
A report from the Independent Police Complaints Authority released today found that Shayne Sime's own referee raised "some concerns" with police when he was interviewed before issuing Sime with a gun licence in 2007.
Sime was shot by police last year after he riddled a neighbour's house and car with... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Defends New Zealand Gun Laws in Wake of UK Mass Shooting
4 June 2010
New Zealand Press Association
A New Zealand gun lobby group is warning against knee-jerk reactions to firearms controls in the wake of the mass shooting in Britain yesterday.
Taxi driver Derrick Bird killed 12 people and injured 25 in a rampage through Cumbria before turning his gun on himself.
Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (CLFO) chairman Michael Dowling said today that while the tragic killings came as a shock, it was unclear why the country's strict new gun ownership laws did not... (GunPolicy.org)
Officers Will Die for Lack of Guns, Predicts New Zealand Police Union Boss
14 May 2010
New Zealand Press Association
Police officers and members of the public will die because official policies restrict police access to firearms, Police Association president Greg O'Connor predicts.
One year after policeman Len Snee was shot dead by Napier gunman Jan Molenaar, Mr O'Connor said more people would die because police would be unable to respond to an armed offender as firearms were not available.
In the latest issue of the association magazine Police News, he said assaults on police had... (GunPolicy.org)
Weapon Show 'Glamourises Guns,' Has No Place in His City, Says NZ Mayor
12 April 2010
New Zealand Herald
Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey is planning to run gunslingers out of the West.
Mr Harvey no longer wants Waitakere City to host the Auckland Arms Fair, which held its 26th annual show at the council-owned West Wave Recreation Centre in Henderson three weeks ago.
He said complaints about the show, rising violence and recent shootings in Nelson and Hokitika which left four people dead had led to his decision.
"There's growing unrest in this country about the escalation of... (GunPolicy.org)
Judge Tosses New Zealand Police Reclassification of Assault Weapons
3 March 2010
New Zealand Herald
A High Court decision has set back efforts by police to impose greater controls on a wider range of firearms.
The court has ruled against a move by police to reclassify many "sporting configuration" firearms as military-style semi-automatics (MSSAs).
Police spent $60,000 advertising the changes. Owners would have had to undergo more stringent vetting, register each affected weapon and have a more expensive gun safe.
But a High Court judgment released this week has... (GunPolicy.org)
Problematic Bushmaster Rifle Posed Safety Risk for NZ Police, Public
21 February 2010
New Zealand Herald
An internal police report warned of potential "public safety" dangers stemming from its Bushmaster rifle - a month after innocent teenager Halatau Naitoko was accidentally shot dead on an Auckland motorway.
Inquiries by the Herald on Sunday have also found that there has been no formal review of the training or operational use by police of the weapon since it was introduced in 2005.
Naitoko, 17, was killed by a police officer armed with a Bushmaster 13 months ago... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Threat Prompts NZ Police to Warn Farmers Against Armed Vigilantism
26 January 2010
New Zealand Press Association
A Whangarei firearms incident has prompted a warning from police that people should not take the law into their own hands.
A 60-year-old Whangarei man has been charged over allegedly pointing a firearm at a group of youths littering his lawn.
Sergeant Graeme Povey told the Northern Advocate five youths were walking along Riverside Drive last week when one of them threw a drink can on to the lawn of a house.
The man confronted the group and some responded by throwing... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police Union Boss Blames 'Nostalgia' for Opposition to Armed Cops
25 January 2010
New Zealand Herald, Editorial
The Police Association did not welcome the result of a poll we published recently. It found a clear majority, 65 per cent, of 2296 sampled Herald readers did not want the police to routinely carry firearms. They were content with current practice that uses specially armed squads to deal with incidents involving guns. The association president, Greg O'Connor, said this "nostalgic" view was now unrealistic.
He was referring to the long-accepted view that police sidearms... (GunPolicy.org)
North Korea,New Zealand,Thailand,Kazakhstan,Iran
Complex International Web Entangles Weapon Cargo Seized In Thailand
22 January 2010
Associated Press
SHYMKENT, Kazakhstan - The trail of the plane seized in Thailand last month for reportedly smuggling North Korean weapons to Iran leads back to a small air freight company housed near an old Soviet airfield on the edge of the Kazakh steppe.
The aging Russian plane's odyssey took it through a web of companies, financiers and air cargo carriers with addresses stretching from New York through the Persian Gulf to New Zealand, an Associated Press investigation has... (GunPolicy.org)
Two-thirds Oppose New Zealand Police Routinely Carrying Guns - Poll
13 January 2010
New Zealand Herald
Almost two thirds of people do not want police carrying guns on general duties, saying it is enough to have the armed offenders squad.
In a Herald survey, 31 per cent of the 2296 respondents supported allowing all police to carry firearms at all times.
But 65 per cent believed only the armed offenders squad should carry guns, showing strong support for current police practice.
Only 1.2 per cent of those polled believed police should not be armed in any circumstances,... (GunPolicy.org)
45 'High-powered' Guns Seized by NZ Police, but 'Public Safety Not at Risk'
31 December 2009
New Zealand Press Association
Police say the public were not in any danger when a huge arsenal of weapons and ammunition was discovered in South Auckland.
About 45 high-powered rifles and shotguns were found at an Otahuhu property after police were called to a domestic incident about 9.30pm Wednesday.
Bags of live ammunition of compatible types and calibres were also found.
The firearms were correctly secured and public safety was not at risk, police say.
A 70-year-old who allegedly threatened... (GunPolicy.org)
Small New Zealand Ammo Maker Can Produce 60 Million Rounds a Year
30 November 2009
Defense News (USA), Web page
WELLINGTON — There is an antique aspect to New Zealand's tiny Ordnance Developments Ltd. (ODL), including machinery far older than those who operate it.
However, ODL's status in the world of small-arms ammunition makers belies its small size.
"We're probably in the top five in the world in terms of our capability, which is rather extensive," said John Quigley, ODL's marketing manager.
The company manufactures ammunition ranging from 5.56mm to 9mm cartridges, as... (GunPolicy.org)
Locals Fear Being Shot as Suburban Safari Park Opens in New Zealand
25 October 2009
Sunday Star Times (New Zealand)
Drive 10 minutes over the hill from Upper Hutt and you emerge in Whitemans Valley, a pleasant little settlement of lifestyle blocks and farms, with pine forests dotted over the surrounding hills.
It's an idyllic setting, but all is not well in paradise, as evidenced by the home-made billboard at one gate: "Real men 'hunt' fenced deer — yeah right". The subject of signwriter Andrew Walker's sarcasm is a safari park on his neighbour's property, approved by the Upper... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Shot, Killed His Friend in Domestic Argument After Drinking
13 October 2009
New Zealand Herald
As a friend barged into Alan Gundry's home and threatened his partner and dinner guests, the pig-hunter grabbed his rifle and said he'd had enough, a murder trial was told yesterday.
Moments later Orewa man Gene Patrick Atkins was dead, shot in the abdomen and liver.
The Crown alleges Gundry, 30, murdered Mr Atkins, 28, on January 12 at Gundry's Rodney home. The shooting happened after Mr Atkins fought with a guest as he tried to get to his partner, Sarah Jane Dean,... (GunPolicy.org)
Armed Police Out in Force as Fake Guns Cause Chaos in New Zealand
20 September 2009
New Zealand Herald
Armed officers and dog handlers swarmed over two Auckland suburbs yesterday as fake firearms triggered two huge police operations.
An armed offenders unit and dog handlers were among up to 20 officers sent to the first callout, which occurred in Glen Innes about 7am.
Inspector Earle McIntosh said police received reports that a man had got into a fight with fellow guests at an all-night party and threatened them with a shotgun.
The suspect then travelled to a house on... (GunPolicy.org)
Only 30 Percent of Routinely Unarmed NZ Police to Get Handgun Training
9 September 2009
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Two out of five city police officers will be excluded from firearms training in the latest move to cut costs, despite armed police being called upon more than ever.
The Police Association says the money-saving plans that will result in some frontline officers being unable to use a firearm will put staff and public lives at risk as police deal with increasing violence.
But police management say the proposals will mean those staff who respond to armed incidents will be... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Remain Unarmed, Fewer to Get Firearm Training in New Zealand
8 September 2009
New Zealand Herald / NZPA
Front line police say officers who lack firearms training may be putting their lives at risk.
The Police Association said the Auckland City police district was now exempting strategic traffic unit (STU) staff and other front line staff in the central business district from firearms training.
The association said those staff were the most likely to be issued with firearms for deployment on armed cordons.
"The Police Association is strongly against any reduction in... (GunPolicy.org)
Acquaintance Dispute Turns Fatal in New Zealand Timber Town Shooting
1 September 2009
New Zealand Herald
One of Janine West's last memories of partner Layden Rameka is of him trying to protect his family moments before he was shot dead.
Mr Rameka, 35, was killed on Sunday afternoon in the Hawkes Bay village of Waikoau — a sleepy former forestry settlement 40km northwest of Napier. His alleged killer — Wilson Apatu, 39 — is in custody.
Ms West, 32, was in the sitting room with two of her sons — Zepplin, 8, and Taylor, 1 — and a cousin when the drama... (GunPolicy.org)
Licence Revoked, NZ Gun Owner Vows to 'Go Out in Hail of Bullets,' Kills 1
31 August 2009
New Zealand Herald / NZPA
The family of the man accused of the fatal shooting in northern Hawkes Bay has apologised for what happened.
Wilson Neil Apatu appeared in court today charged with the murder of Layden Rameka and the attempted murder of eight-year-old son Zepplen-Solly, in the shooting near Tutira yesterday afternoon.
The 39-year-old is also charged with aggravated robbery. Apatu entered no plea to the charges and will reappear in court in three weeks.
After the court appearance, an... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensed Gun Collector Sold 121 Handguns, Machine Guns to NZ Gangs
29 August 2009
New Zealand Herald
The last act in laying bare John Noel Mabey's big lie occurred on Tuesday but the danger to the public will go on for years.
After two years, Mabey, 45, finally admitted in the Thames District Court that the burglary in which he claimed his entire collection of 121 restricted firearms (pistols, machine guns and military-style semi-automatics) was stolen, was an elaborate fake.
Not that anyone had believed him for long. The suspicion of the police officer who... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners Up In Arms Over NZ Police Assault Rifle Licence Changes
17 August 2009
New Zealand Press Association
Gun owners remain angry at police changes to licensing rules over military-style semi-automatic weapons, with some taking official steps to try to stop them.
One has applied for a judicial review of the police decision, while a group has complained to the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA).
Gun owners have been told that if they own a semi-automatic firearm with a "military pattern, free-standing pistol grip", it is now considered a military-style... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owners Riled by NZ Police Campaign to Register Military-style Rifles
15 August 2009
Timaru Herald
A 'Check Your Stock' campaign by police is riling licensed firearm owners, who say police hierarchy are "wrongfully" trying to do the job of a High Court judge.
A new group called the National Shooters Association has complained to the Independent Police Complaints Authority since the $60,000 campaign was launched by the New Zealand Police.
Gun owners have been told that if they own a semi-automatic firearm with a 'military pattern, free-standing pistol grip', it is... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Makers Alter Assault Weapons to Avoid Law, NZ Police Draw Line
12 August 2009
TV3 News (Auckland)
Thousands of licensed gun owners may soon have to buy an expensive new safe to store their weapons, or get rid of them.
Police have broadened the definition of 'military style semi-automatic weapons', but the gun lobby says police have acted simply because they do not like the look of the new style of weapons.
With more of the military style semi-automatics coming on to the market, police have decided to make it harder for people to own them.
"For some time now,... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Alone with United States in Rejecting Firearm Registration
3 August 2009
Rotorua Daily Post (New Zealand)
More than 6400 people in Rotorua hold a licence to own firearms.
Latest figures, released to The Daily Post, show that by May this year, 6466 people — or about one in every ten locals in the Rotorua area — hold a firearms licence.
Officially, this is an increase of 1520 from 2007.
But Rotorua District Arms Officer Mike Keefe said he has not issued that many new licences in that 17-month period and there were a number of reasons for the increase.
Mr Keefe said... (GunPolicy.org)
Licensing Owners Not Enough: New Zealand Should Also Register Guns
7 July 2009
Marlborough Express (New Zealand), Editorial
The cache of weapons found at the home of gunman Jan Molenaar and other elements of the Napier seige raise questions about New Zealanders and firearms.
The man who killed a policeman and wounded two others and a civilian had 18 fully loaded guns. Police found more than 100 spent cartridges, 2000 bullets and home made explosive devices.
His firearm licence had expired in 2002 and three of the guns had been stolen. Two of the self loading rifles had belonged to the... (GunPolicy.org)
Registration of All Guns Needed, Says Senior New Zealand Arms Officer
4 July 2009
Bay of Plenty Times (Tauranga)
The district arms officer says without firearms being registered in New Zealand there is no real control over them.
Paul McLennan, who has been in the role 27 years, said registration of individual firearms — scrapped in New Zealand in 1983 — once kept holders of firearm licences accountable and responsible for their weapons. It also helped identify stolen firearms.
Today, firearms are not registered and there is no restriction on how many firearms a licence... (GunPolicy.org)
New Zealand Gambles With Liberal Gun Laws, 10-year Firearm Licences
1 July 2009
New Zealand Herald
A wheelchair-bound gunman's fitness to hold a firearms licence is being investigated, but his family say he was a good person and loving father who overcame adversity.
Shayne Sime, 42, was shot dead by police on Sunday after firing more than 100 rounds from his Christchurch home, wounding a policeman and a neighbour and hitting buildings including a preschool in surrounding streets.
Yesterday his family said: "We do wish to recognise and apologise to other people who... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Club Mates: Dead Shooter 'Just Like Anyone Else - He Liked Guns'
30 June 2009
New Zealand Herald
A gun club that helped hone the capabilities of a disabled gunman shot dead by police says it could not have foreseen such a tragic event.
Wheelchair-bound Shayne Richard Sime, 42, was killed by members of the armed offenders squad at his Christchurch home on Sunday night after firing more than 100 rounds, wounding an AOS member and a neighbour, and damaging homes in the area that had to be evacuated.
The injured AOS member has had surgery to remove shotgun pellets... (GunPolicy.org)
Paraplegic Licensed Gun Owner Dies in New Zealand Police Shoot-out
30 June 2009
New Zealand Press Association
Police are to investigate the circumstances in which paraplegic gunman Shayne Sime, killed in a shoot-out with police in Christchurch last night, obtained his firearms licence.
Detective Superintendent Brett Kane said Mr Sime had been licensed since 2006 to own sporting shotguns and rifles.
He had a criminal history but his last conviction was in 1990 and most of his convictions were for "alcohol-related offending", Mr Kane told TV One's Close Up last night.
He... (GunPolicy.org)
Dead New Zealand Gunman Had Firearm Licence, Despite History
29 June 2009
New Zealand Herald / NZPA
The 42-year-old paraplegic man killed during a shoot-out with police in the Christchurch suburb of Burnside was a licensed firearms holder.
Shayne Sime's body was removed from the scene this afternoon but police caution their investigation is likely to be lengthy.
A post mortem on Mr Sime will start this evening and continue into tomorrow.
Detective Superintendent Brett Kane said that Mr Sime had been a licensed firearms holder since 2006, which gave him a licence to... (GunPolicy.org)
Oceania,United Nations,Australia,New Zealand,Fiji,Solomon Islands,Papua New Guinea
United Nations Gun Chief Says Pacific Has Illicit Small Arms Problem
25 June 2009
ABC Radio Australia (Shortwave), Audio
The United Nations is working to halt the daily toll of one-thousand people around the world killed by small arms. The job of halting the toll taken by small illegal weapons has now been placed in the hands of United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo. Ambassador Macedo is Chair Designate for next year's United Nations Biennial Meeting of States on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons.
Speaker: United Nations Ambassador, Pablo Macedo
Windows media (audio... (GunPolicy.org)
Better Control of Internet Gun Sales 'Good Place to Start' for New Zealand
16 May 2009
Otago Daily Times (New Zealand), Editorial
Gun laws in New Zealand have for decades been a moving target — and an armour-plated one at that.
The protection comes both from the complexity of the law, and associated issues of cultural and social import, but also through the inability of our politicians to act decisively on the matter.
Resolve in this respect has been weakened by there being no consistent mandate to move radically in any particular direction.
But in the discussions of gun law and control... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Checks Strict in Taranaki, Shooters Unlikely to 'Fall Through Cracks'
15 May 2009
Taranaki Daily News
Tough licensing regulations make getting your hands on a military-style semi-automatic rifle incredibly difficult unless you are a criminal.
In which case, says New Plymouth gun dealer and owner of Ski and Sports Centre Jeff Horn, you live outside the law and are free to acquire one without going through the normal strict licensing procedures.
Jan Molenaar shot and killed Senior Constable Len Snee and wounded two other officers and a civilian when police conducted a... (GunPolicy.org)
Despite Shootings, Most Oppose Arming New Zealand Police Force
15 May 2009
Dominion Post (Wellington)
Three police officers have been killed in less than a year. But, unlike their overseas counterparts, our police do not routinely carry guns. Are they safe enough? Is it time to arm them?
What more could we have done to protect our police, asked Police Commissioner Howard Broad as he stood before the mourners at Napier's Municipal Theatre this week. It was, he said, the natural question to ask.
He was there to deliver a eulogy for slain policeman Len Snee, and he... (GunPolicy.org)
Rethink on New Zealand Gun Licensing, Registration Long Overdue
15 May 2009
New Zealand Herald, Editorial
Changes to gun laws are usually the product of tragedy. The last significant amendment to the law occurred after David Gray killed 13 people at Aramoana in 1990, and Australia's legislation was spurred by the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania in which 35 died. Now, the Napier siege sparked by Jan Molenaar's shooting of Senior Constable Len Snee should be the catalyst for further change. Two disturbing facts have emerged. The first is that Molenaar did not possess a... (GunPolicy.org)
Two Governments Shelved NZ Firearm Registry Due to Pro-gun Lobbying
15 May 2009
Dominion Post (Wellington)
An independent gun registry was in the process of being set up a decade ago, but it was quietly shelved after intensive lobbying by pro-gun groups.
The registry was a key recommendation of the Thorp Report, which stemmed from a year-long review of gun laws by retired High Court justice Sir Thomas Thorp in 1996.
The report also recommended the government buy back military-style semi-automatics from owners followed by an outright ban of such weapons.
It was... (GunPolicy.org)
NZ Police, Gun Dealer Dismiss Gun Control, Urge Talk with Gun Owners
13 May 2009
Timaru Herald (New Zealand) / NZPA
South Canterbury police and licensed Timaru arms dealers are advising people not to jump to conclusions over firearms laws after Napier gunman Jan Molenaar's 50-hour siege.
The arsenal of weapons found at Molenaar's house last week had sparked concerns about firearms laws and unlicensed owners.
Gun safety advocate Philip Alpers has said the police have "no idea" how many guns are in the hands of unlicensed owners and described the incident as a "perfect illustration... (GunPolicy.org)
