In the wake of the mosque shootings in Christchurch, Prime Minister Ardern announced: "Our gun laws will change, now is the time... People will be seeking change, and I am committed to that." Ardern continued by stating, "There have been attempts to change our laws in 2005, 2012 and after an inquiry in 2017. Now is the time for change." Attorney-General David Parker was later quoted as saying that the government would ban semi-automatic guns, but he subsequently backtracked, saying that the government had not yet committed to anything and that regulations around semi-automatic weapons was "one of the issues" the government would consider. On 20 March 2019, Ardern announced that all military style semi-automatics and assault rifles would be banned. The first step in this process was taken on 21 March by reclassifying most semi-automatic firearms as "military style semi-automatic firearms" for the purpose of the Arms Act 1983, pursuant to section 74A(c) of the statute.