New Police Firearms Regulatory Unit announced
An “Independent” unit? In announcing a new Firearm Regulatory Unit “separate from, but still aligned to Police” Police Minister Hon. Poto Williams has reneged on a previous commitment by Labour to set up an Independent Firearm Authority to administer the Arms Act. She went on to claim “This Government has a strong track record on […]
A Significant Distortion of the Truth
Recent statements attributed to the Commissioner of Police, Andrew Coster, have repeated previous allegations from police that gangs acquire their firearms from licensed firearms owners. That is a significant distortion of the truth and by implication Coster maligns a quarter of a million carefully and properly vetted New Zealanders. The Commissioner very conveniently fails to […]
What exactly is a 3D printed “Ghost Gun”?
Following the recent Sun newspaper article, we sought the opinion of a 3D printing specialist here in NZ, and following is his reply: First off, a “Ghost Gun” is a firearm, usually home made, that lacks serial numbers. 3D Printing is nothing to do with it, any more than a hacksaw is. Back in the […]
New Gun laws have not made NZ safer but Commissioner Coster blames legal firearm owners
We have every sympathy for front line officers caught up in the recent shooting incidents in Hamilton and Auckland over the past week, however we refute the Commissioners assertion that the source of guns in the hands of criminals is from burglaries of law abiding owners (5:20). He refuses to acknowledge that if millions of […]
Police Minister doesn’t know the law she voted for.
A police officer is shot in Hamilton and in a media release commenting on that, the Police Minister has said “Cabinet was “working on the process” of getting a gun register in place to stop these weapons getting into the wrong hands”, Williams said. “We will make decisions on that as soon as we can.” […]
Police Firearms Administration a Disgrace!
Are our Police fit for purpose asks Neville Dodd president of Sporting Shooters. If the “purpose” is the administration of the firearms law, they themselves wrote then “the answer is clearly a resounding no! Look at their current gross under-performance” he says. Some obvious examples are: • Grossly excessive delays in processing applications (see table […]
More red tape as museums forced to hold gun dealers licenses.
Guns are inanimate but the Government seems determined to personify them as evil, as more & more pointless restrictions have been passed into law. That is the view of Neville Dodd, president of Sporting Shooters, on the new law that requires museum curators to hold a firearms dealer’s license if there are any firearms in […]
Kudos to Police
The Sporting Shooters Association of New Zealand congratulates NZ Police on its success in concluding the New Zealand end of Operation Trojan Shield, which saw the arrest of 35 people involved in the illegal drug trade and the seizure of $3.7 million assets, which included drugs, cash, firearms, vehicles and boats. President Neville Dodd said, […]
DIC on duty; Police officer’s brief lapse or battle fatigue?
News that a Police officer in his police car was five times over the legal alcohol limit for driving begs the question: was it a brief lapse while on duty, or is it an example of total fear of being inadequately trained and likely to be confronted by (unlicensed) armed offenders? That is the question […]
Police Making Law on the fly
It has been necessary to point out to police, that with their latest proposals for firearms regulations there are: • many instances where they are proposing regulations that exceed the mandate given to them by Parliament; • other instances where their interpretation of the law as passed by Parliament is “convenient” or indeed in conflict; […]
Thoughts on NZ’s New Firearms Laws (by a member)
A likely disaster The new firearms legislation, is likely to become a disaster. Let me explain: In the UK, thousands of sports shooters had their guns taken and destroyed. At first it was the semi auto rifles, then our pistols, and some shotguns. We endured the jibes and nasty remarks from the government and the […]
Gangs still very much in the limelight.
Raids, confiscation of assets and (some) gang members being allowed to legally buy firearms and ammunition still lead our national news bulletins, but it seems no-one has had the courage to ask if the Police and the Government have already lost the “war” against gangs. Gangs running riot? Neville Dodd, president of the Sporting Shooters […]
Police target gangs
Finally some action? The recent announcement by the Commissioner of Police that they have launched a nationwide operation to target illegal firearms in the hands of the gangs is “great news” says SSANZ President Neville Dodd. “Many of the firearms in the hands of gangs have been stolen from innocent licenced firearms owners and they too […]
Gang Members and Gun Licenses.
A recent call from ACT MP Nicole McKee raises an important question. Ms. McKee has asked the Government during question time why known gang members are being issued firearms licenses when, she says, gang members should not be allowed to hold one. The number of known gang members to hold a license rose from 11 […]
Is the law an Ass? Criminals (by definition) ignore them.
Firearm laws are a lot like most other laws; essentially triumphs of hope over reality. The hope is they will work! The reality, especially in the case of firearms laws is that they can’t work. The idea is that they will reduce crime. In fact they are only complied with by those who wish or need […]
