7. Question No. 7—PoliceBRETT HUDSON (National) to the Minister of PoliceQuestion No. 7—Police7. BRETT HUDSON (National) to the Minister of Police: On what date was he first made aware that the firearm licensing vetting procedure for the Christchurch shooter may have been deficient and what actions if any did he take to ensure that the firearm licence regime's integrity was upheld?Hon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): I have received no advice that the process was deficient. I was aware of some speculation in the media by some gun lobbyists less than a week after the shooting about the circumstances but Police issued a public statement one week after the shooting—that was 22 March 2019—saying that the correct process was followed for the licence application. Three weeks after the shooting on 8 April 2019 the terms of reference were agreed for a royal commission of inquiry. They explicitly include the question of how the licence guns and ammunition were obtained by the terrorist. As the Prime Minister said at the time—and I quote—We will ensure no stone is left unturned as we examine as quickly as possible how the 15 March attack happened what we could have done to stop it and how we can keep New Zealanders safe."Brett Hudson: Has he requested any additional information from Police following the news reports on 16 June 2020 reporting that the mosque terrorist was wrongly granted a firearms licence due to police mistakes?Hon STUART NASH: Old story: no I haven't.Brett Hudson: Referencing the Ministers reference to the royal commission of inquiry in his primary answer does the Minister hold the opinion that it is important that the royal commission of inquiry look into the process for granting the firearms licence to that individual?Hon STUART NASH: I'll quote again a passage out of my primary answer. Three weeks after the shooting—8 April 2019—the terms of reference were agreed for the royal commission of inquiry. They explicitly include the question of how the licence the guns and the ammunition were obtained.Brett Hudson: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was very directly at the Minister's opinion as to whether or not that was important. I don't believe he addressed that.SPEAKER: The member can ask for opinions. I think that any reasonable inference from the answer would be that he wouldn't have agreed for it to be in there as part of the Government if he didn't think it was a good idea.Rt Hon Winston Peters: Can I ask the Minister as to which political party was in power when the set-up for the vetting procedures that that firearms licence was considered under happened?Hon STUART NASH: Well we know Deputy Prime Minister if it had been ours and yours in coalition then it wouldn't be how it was today.Brett Hudson: Will he defer further progress on the Arms Legislation Bill until after the report back of the royal commission of inquiry given the questions being raised on the licensing regime?Hon STUART NASH: I will ask that member a question: will he vote for firearms legislation that takes guns off gangs and makes it a lot harder for criminals to get guns and significantly increases the penalties for gun crime?SPEAKER: Order!Brett Hudson: If the Minister actually presents some.SPEAKER: Order! Well OK—well I was going to intervene to make him answer the question. The member has used another supplementary on his feet. We'll just go on.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I think that's an unreasonable interpretation. This is a serious serious matter. Fifty-one people got killed by a gunman who may have had a licence that he shouldn't have had. He was able to procure guns because he had that licence. It's a serious serious matter. For the Minister to fail to answer and simply ask the Opposition a question and then for the Opposition to in response to his really unacceptable approach be penalised I think does not bear fairness to the wider New Zealand public who want an answer.SPEAKER: Well I think the member would have had an answer if he didn't stand up and yell at me. It's a matter of learning.Hon Gerry Brownlee: Your sensibility is more important than the public knowing what actually happened—unbelievable.SPEAKER: The shadow Leader of the House will stand withdraw and apologise.Hon Gerry Brownlee: I withdraw and apologise. I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I take your point but this is a particularly important matter. It's one that had the whole country gripped with some fear particularly where I live for some time. It would seem that while you may have been offended by the reference to you an apology for that might have been more appropriate than allowing the Minister to skirt off answering the question.SPEAKER: I'll make it clear: it wasn't even the reference to me; it was the fact that the member stood up and started yelling. I mean it's just not acceptable behaviour in the House. The member knows that it is not and if he wants me to support him to get answers as I was trying to do then he needs to learn not to stand up and yell."