On Friday the government released the proposed amendments to the Arms Act (attached below). It contains a very large number of changes and is not easy to read in the format provided. It includes the expected registration scheme, licensing of shooting clubs and ranges, marking of all firearms, 5 year licence periods, cost recovery provisions and lots more. The above will cost us all more money but cost criminals nothing.

I understand that once the bill is introduced there will be a shortened submissions period of 3 months instead of the usual 6 months. Cynics might suggest the government and the Police want to get it through before both the election and the release of the findings of the Christchurch Royal Commission.

The money maths is quite straightforward, 5 year licences in place of 10 and they say they want full cost recovery vs the 40% now. Club and range licensing and reporting will add to the costs, marking of firearms to some yet to be determined std is also at our cost, presumably they will want full recovery on the registration system, either at first or once they have all your data, the Canadians spent C$2B after selling it as a C$3M system and as everyone knows no government computing system ever had a cost over-run.

This is something we all need to pay attention to and a select committee process we all need to take part in. There are none of us who will not be affected and nothing that will make the community safer, it is the triumph of dogma over reason.

COLFO are making a stand on this and they deserve your support. 

Arms Legislation Bill Sept 2019.pdf 

bill-government-2019-177 -disclosure assessment.pdf