New Zealand Police Withdraw from Gun Licensing

New Zealand’s government is reforming its firearms laws by removing police officers from the Firearms Safety Authority, aiming to rebuild trust with gun owners following tensions since the Christchurch mosque shootings. Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced that the authority will report directly to the government, while maintaining a near-total ban on semiautomatic firearms. McKee, previously a gun owners’ lobbyist, stated that the current regulatory structure has led to “unfair and intimidating treatment” of firearms owners. These changes come as a response to criticisms of the initial, swift reforms implemented after the 2019 massacre.

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