Nash StuartARMS LEGISLATION BILLSecond ReadingHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): I move That the Arms Legislation Bill be now read a second time.We all know why we're here today. It has been a long journey. The journey did not actually begin on 15 March 2019; it began on 30 June 1997. Almost 23 years ago Judge Sir Thomas Thorp told us what was wrong with our firearms legislation. At that time the Arms Act was already 14 years old. In 2020 the Arms Act 1983 is not only well out of date but dangerously out of date. Successive Governments failed to act on Thorp's recommendations and what has been the cost of that failure? The National Party knows. The ACT Party knows. They know because former MP for Epsom the former National police minister the former leader of the ACT Party the Hon John Banks has told them. He said following the terror attack last year that the greatest disappointment of his political life was his failure to act after the mass murder at Aramoana in 1990. I refuse to be the former Minister approached by victims' families in 20 years' time and asked: Why didn't you change the law why didn't you take guns off gangs and bring in tougher penalties for gun crime?" These are the questions that will haunt Simon Bridges and David Seymour instead.Owning a firearm is a privilege not a right. We need to do all we can to ensure only law-abiding citizens are able to obtain firearms licences and use firearms. Since March last year police have seized 2138 illegal firearms from gangs and other offenders. It's an average of 43 a week—Hon Nathan Guy: Is that all?Hon STUART NASH: Is that all? These are the guns that have been pointed at or used against police and you say "Is that all?" Shame on you Mr Hudson. There is no point in members opposite wringing their hands over last week's news from Tauranga when a police car was riddled with bullets from a high-powered weapon. Welcome to a police officer's world. Welcome to the everyday reality of policing. I am on the side of police. I am working hard alongside the Prime Minister the Deputy Prime Minister and others in Government to give police all the tools and the resources that they need to stay safe as they work to keep our communities safe; that includes the trial of the eagle helicopter in Christchurch just announced this week; it includes new body armour; it includes new police on the street soon to pass the milestone of 2000 new police since the coalition took Government; and it includes tougher penalties for gun crime—and Mr Hudson is not voting for that. It includes new powers to stop a gang member ever getting a firearms licence which they technically can do at the moment—and Mr Hudson is not supporting that. This is the true Government of law and order not a party of cheap rhetoric like the members opposite. They ran down police numbers and ignored the Australian gangs who arrived in 2008.I want to address some of the changes made at the select committee. I want to thank the Finance and Expenditure Committee for their time and their careful deliberation especially those who turned up to the meetings. I certainly want to thank the chair who I think did a fantastic job under trying circumstances. Since it was introduced more than five months ago the legislation has been improved by the public process. The committee heard from every single submitter who asked to be heard. Their voices have made a difference. I have also worked closely and collaboratively with the Hon Ron Mark and New Zealand First to ensure that we get the best law possible. I thank them for their constructive dialogue.The improvements deliver on the bill's objectives and enhance the workability for both firearms licence holders and the police. The legislation will place greater controls over high-risk firearms and the safe use of all firearms. Let's look at some of the changes: licence duration. We propose firearms licences for five years' duration instead of the current 10 years. Many submitters commented that this was too short. The committee found most firearms licence holders who receive a conviction do so within the first five years. So it recommended five-year licences for first-time licence holders only. Then for successful relicensing it would be a 10-year licence. However if an applicant had their previous licence revoked or let it expire their new licence would be for five years once more. The introduction of an interim step added more security and then gives trust by allowing a longer licence period after someone has demonstrated that they are deserving of the privilege of holding a firearms licence.The committee also reviewed the notice required for when police wish to inspect a firearms licence holder's storage or a shooting club's firearm storage. It is recommended this should be at least seven days' notice. The committee also clarified that temporary transfer of firearms for less than 30 days would not require an update to the registry unless they are pistols restricted weapons prohibited firearms or prohibited magazines. This ensures that when firearms licence holders lend another licence holder their firearm or leave their firearm temporarily in the care of another licence holder while travelling they are not creating an overly burdensome compliance system.There are other technical changes. This includes a recommendation from the Privacy Commissioner that access to the firearms registry be clarified so that the only reason to access is to assist agencies in their functions relating to arms. For example Customs' access and use would be around managing the import of firearms into New Zealand.There were also changes recommended to the provisions relating to health practitioners. These provisions are about keeping people safe during times of vulnerability. The committee has clarified the definition of health practitioner to ensure that only appropriate health professionals have to consider informing police of a concern with a patient.For the first time the fit and proper person test for a firearms licence explicitly excludes gang members associates or members of an organised criminal group—and that party isn't voting for that. Why is the Opposition trying to block this? They like to shoot off their mouths but do nothing about the actual criminal shooters. Changes made by the committee also give police the power to consider whether someone applying for a licence has had restraining orders made against them. The use of firearms in family harm is an indictment in our society.Dealers: the committee clarified the activities that would now require a dealer's licence. It is recommended that the bill state that a dealer's licence is required for people engaged in lending hiring selling or supplying firearms as a commercial activity central to their business. The committee also recommended that members of shooting clubs selling firearms for the benefit of the club and hunting guides operating on a small scale be exempt from the dealer regime.Several changes and clarifications have been recommended for the certification of shooting clubs and shooting ranges. This includes removing the requirement for ranges to have public liability insurance lengthening the time frame for obtaining certification and clarifying that a range officer not a manager must be on duty when a range is in use. This better reflects many shooting clubs' and shooting ranges' practice and terminology. The changes we are looking to implement in this legislation have been worked on assiduously over the past few months. But in reality there is at least 23 years of knowledge and analysis behind them. As mentioned John Banks himself said his greatest regret as Minister of Police was not being able to change firearms legislation. Stand for something for a change Mr Seymour.We have taken the time to do a sense check on this bill. I am pleased with the work that the officials most MPs and communities have put into the creation of a better firearms system. A UMR poll in September found 70 percent of people supported strengthening our firearms laws; 16 percent were opposed. In Canterbury a staggering 81 percent of people are calling for tougher gang laws. It is up to us as Government to listen to the voices of our communities to take into account the health and safety and wellbeing of the good men and women of our police service who are out their every single day facing this threat and to balance the lawful use of firearms against the harm they do in the wrong hands.This is a very good bill that is long overdue and it's an absolute privilege and a pleasure to commend this bill to the House."