2020 Election
Parliamentary Election – 2020
Despite what you may think about the election result two good things for the firearm community has come about from the way you cast your votes. SSANZ member and firearm advocate Nicole McKee now has a seat in parliament, and she is supported by ACT leader David Seymour and a caucus of 8 additional ACT MPs.
While ACT may not have a place on the government benches as we had hoped, a party of 10 MPs has a much stronger voice for asking hard questions and the ability to participate in Select Committees and other cross-party activities. As well as proposing sensible solutions to the many issues that face parliament in these post-Covid times.
What Does the Election Result Mean for Firearm Owners?
With Labour able to govern alone, with or without the Greens, there will be no reversal of the anti-firearm laws passed in June. And without NZ First in government, there will be no pressure to keep to the proposed Independent Authority to manage firearm administration. So what is on the statutes now will go-ahead for the next 3 years, bringing more pain and frustration to the firearm community as NZ Police come to grips with the monster they have created and implement the new rules and regulations.
We know there will be a second confiscation (buyback) of firearms declared prohibited in the most recent Arms Legislation Act. These include short semi-automatics, (those that were technically classed as pistols), Centrefire pump-action rifles with detachable magazines or magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, and any firearm that contains a centre fire lower receiver.
However speculation about further types of firearms being banned is as far as we know simply speculation, we have seen no evidence to suggest that is on the cards. One might also argue that the government has more things to worry about now with the Covid recovery than contemplate more tinkering with the Arms Act. In the present financial climate, it might even be prudent to shelve the expense of a firearm registry, which we all know will, at great taxpayer cost, serve no practical purpose other than making the government feel good.
Where to from here?
All firearm owners need to put aside their political and personal differences and unite in preparation for election 2023. We need to get behind and support those MPs who have supported us and sign up for those organisations that advocate for us. COLFO is the largest of these organisations, representing all 12 major shooting associations and SSANZ is part of that Council. While COLFO represents the vast majority of club shooters, SSANZ, while having many club members, seeks to represent all those shooters, some 200,000, who belong to no club and give them a voice.
We need firearm dealers to actively support these organisations
We need firearm dealers to actively support these organisations and we in turn need to support our local dealers. We are all dependant upon each other for our long-term survival.
SSANZ Is working hard to engage with local firearm dealers around the country and recruit new members from the many hunters and firearm owners who enjoy their sport outside of a club environment.
