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Armed Violence and Guns in Australia and New Zealand

Australia has the tightest gun control policies in the Pacific and some of the most comprehensive regulations internationally. New Zealand is at the opposite end of the spectrum with some of the most permissive gun policies in the Pacific region. Among developed nations it stands alone with the United States as the only two countries without universal gun registration.1 2 3 

Following the 1996 National Firearms Agreement Australia’s gun licensing laws were tightened and national registration established. The result has been a reduction of more than 50 percent in the number of gunshot victims.4 While Australia was tightening firearm legislation, the New Zealand government commissioned a review of gun laws contained primarily in the Arms Act 1983. The result of this was the Thorp report which drew attention to a number of issues in the New Zealand system including firearm registration and licensing regulations.5 Firearm injury and death have not been a major public health concern in New Zealand with numbers declining until the mid 90s and then remaining steady for the past decade, to just 51 deaths in 2010.6

Australia is the leading arms importer and producer in the Pacific region. In 2010, Australia was 3rd of the world's major small arms importers,7 as a producer they are small by international standards.8 On the other hand small arms expenditure has been increasing, Australia spent US$67 million in 2007 more than double the expenditure of 2000.9 New Zealand has also increased expenditure in the same period by 140 percent and in 2003 it was the second largest market for American military shotguns, receiving 23 percent of all US shotgun exports.10

New Zealand and Australia play a leading role in regional capacity building and international disarmament mechanisms such as the UN Programme of Action (UNPoA) and negotiations for an international Arms Trade Treaty.11 12 13 14 Australia and New Zealand have both signed and ratified the Arms Trade Treaty.15 

For information on armed violence and gun control laws in Australia and New Zealand, please use the search tools in the left hand column.

Short References

1.

New Zealand.2010.‘Implementation of International Tracing Instrument - Record Keeping.’ National Report of New Zealand on its Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York, NY:Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations,1 February. (Q1884)Full Citation

2.

Parker, Sarah.2011.‘Balancing Act: Regulation of Civilian Firearm Possession.’ Small Arms Survey 2011: States of Security.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,6 July. (Q5381)Full Citation

3.

New Zealand.2007.‘Questionnaire on the Implementation of the Programme of Action.’ United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA).New York, NY:Permanent Mission of New Zealand to the United Nations,1 April. (Q3013)Full Citation

4.

Alpers, Philip.2013.‘The Big Melt: How One Democracy Changed after Scrapping a Third of Its Firearms - Fall in Gun Violence.’ Reducing Gun Violence in America: Informing Policy with Evidence and Analysis.Baltimore:Johns Hopkins University Press,25 January. (Q6569)Full Citation

5.

Coalition for Gun Control.2001.‘What's Happening With Our Gun Laws?: The Thorp report.’ CGC(NZ) fact sheet.Auckland:Coalition for Gun Control (New Zealand),1 February. (Q1204)Full Citation

6.

Injury Prevention Research Unit.2014.‘Total Gun Deaths, New Zealand, 1988 to 2010.’ National Injury Query System / NIQS.Dunedin:Injury Prevention Research Unit, Otago University School of Medicine,1 April. (Q8450)Full Citation

7.

Pavesi, Irene and Christelle Rigual.2013.‘Annexes 8.2: Major Importers.’ Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press and the Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,2 July. (Q8486)Full Citation

8.

Small Arms Survey.2001.‘Ranking of World's Small Arms Producers (By Sales).’ Small Arms Survey 2001: Profiling the Problem.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q103)Full Citation

9.

Marsh, Nicholas.2014.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,22 December. (Q16)Full Citation

10.

Small Arms Survey.2004.‘Export Dependence of US Small Arms Manufacturers.’ Small Arms Survey 2004: Rights at Risk.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q1228)Full Citation

11.

Parker, Sarah and Katherine Green.2012.‘Findings - Table 3: Reporting States by Rank and Score.’ The Programme of Action Implementation Monitor (Phase 1): Assessing Reported Progress.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 August. (Q8752)Full Citation

12.

Parker, Sarah and Katherine Green.2012.‘What do the PoAIM Scores Represent? How Should the PoAIM Scores Be Interpreted?.’ The Programme of Action Implementation Monitor (Phase 1): Assessing Reported Progress.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 August. (Q8753)Full Citation

13.

Parker, Sarah and Katherine Green.2012.‘Point Allocation System.’ The Programme of Action Implementation Monitor (Phase 1): Assessing Reported Progress.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 August. (Q8754)Full Citation

14.

Parker, Sarah and Katherine Green.2012.‘Introduction.’ The Programme of Action Implementation Monitor (Phase 1): Assessing Reported Progress.Geneva:Small Arms Survey, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva,1 August. (Q8755)Full Citation

15.

UNODA.2013.‘Towards Entry Into Force.’ Arms Trade Treaty.New York, NY:United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,2 April. (Q7226)Full Citation