The New Zealand Cabinet has approved a sweeping overhaul of the country’s gun laws, transferring the responsibility for firearms regulation from the Police Minister to a newly designated Firearms Minister.
The move marks a significant shift in the governance of gun control, to improve public safety and ease compliance for licensed firearm owners.
The decision fulfils part of the National-ACT coalition agreement, which committed to rewriting the Arms Act, originally enacted in the early 1980s.
The act has undergone several changes over the years, most notably after the March 15, 2019, Christchurch terror attacks, which led to the ban on semi-automatic weapons and the establishment of a new firearms regulator, RNZ reported.
Independent Firearms Regulator Announced
Under the reforms, Te Tari Pūreke, the Firearms Safety Authority (FSA), which currently operates within the Police, will evolve into an independent regulator.
The restructured body will no longer include sworn police officers and will be led by a chief executive appointed by the Governor-General. This executive will report directly to the Firearms Minister, Nicole McKee, while the Ministry of Justice will provide oversight and monitoring.
McKee, who has been leading the reform process as Associate Justice Minister, said the changes are designed to “improve public safety” while making it easier for licensed firearm owners (LFOs) to follow the law.
Adjustments to Military-Style Firearms Rules
Concerns had been raised by Muslim community leaders that the rewrite might relax restrictions on military-style semi-automatic (MSSA) firearms. However, the government confirmed that there would be no expansion of eligibility for such weapons, which remain limited to endorsed pest controllers and collectors, as reported by RNZ.
The overhaul will extend the duration of pest control endorsements from 2.5 years to five years, subject to a mid-term review. Collectors will also be allowed to store essential gun parts with any licensed firearm owner, rather than only with another endorsed collector.
A loophole will also be closed to ensure that high-capacity pistol magazines, those holding more than ten rounds, can only be purchased or owned by people with the appropriate pistol endorsement.
New Measures Target Gangs and Illicit Firearms
The reforms include a clause that automatically disqualifies identified gang members from holding a firearms licence, ensuring they cannot legally access guns.
A new “red flag” system will also allow police and other agencies to alert the firearms regulator if they have information suggesting a licence holder may no longer be a fit and proper person, RNZ quoted.
Penalties for over 60 offences under the Arms Act will be increased, and eight new offences will be introduced, including one that criminalises the ownership of a firearm without a serial number.
Additionally, the new act addresses emerging threats such as 3D-printed firearms, illegal manufacture of weapon parts, and digital files related to firearms production.
‘Agree to Disagree’ on Competitive Shooting Access
Minister McKee, a competitive shooter herself, had advocated for a provision allowing sports shooters to access military-style semi-automatic firearms. However, she confirmed on Tuesday that she had not secured coalition backing for the proposal.
“I tried. I did not succeed there, so we had an agree to disagree,” she said, noting she was “not prepared to die in a ditch” over the issue, RNZ quoted.
The ACT Party had previously invoked the same clause in May, arguing that the coalition had not gone far enough in reviewing the firearms registry, a measure McKee continues to oppose.
“I still do not agree with the firearms registry, especially in its current state,” she said. “I see lots of problems with it,” as quoted by RNZ.
The government says the rewritten Arms Act will modernise New Zealand’s firearms laws, strengthen accountability, and ensure that both public safety and lawful ownership remain central to the country’s gun policy.