Genter Julie AnneHon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Green): Tēnā koe Madam Speaker. I rise to speak to the second reading of this bill.Of course the Green Party policy on gun control has probably been the most comprehensive of any party in this House for many many years. We've long supported making it illegal to own semi-automatic weapons having a gun registration system reducing the licensing period and reviewing vetting procedures. And of course that really is the point right? It's all about reducing access to violent firearms that are capable of killing large numbers of people. The point of that approach is to reduce harm to our communities not to try and scapegoat or blame one particular part of society over any other because some of the worst shootings that we've had that have affected innocent civilians in this country have not in fact been from gang members; it's been white supremacists or people with quite you know serious issues.I think what we're seeing with this bill and what we've seen—it's quite ironic listening to the National Party speakers on this bill because they're saying this bill is being voted down because of politics. The only reason they're putting forward this bill is petty superficial politics. Scaremongering—a systematic approach to criminal justice legislation from the National Party dog-whistling with very racist undertones and overtones not the slightest bit interested in effective legislation that would reduce access to firearms from anyone with criminal intent but a specific bespoke piece of legislation dog-whistling by blaming gangs for all of the problems in this country rather than saying Let's take an effective and systematic approach and reduce harm in our communities caused by firearms no matter where it's coming from including white supremacists." I would love to see that sort of approach from the National Party. I assume the ACT Party is going to get up and say something very similar to the National Party. The list of 35 gangs that was originally put forward in this particular bill particularly focuses on Māori and Pacific populations. Those are not the only criminal groups that we need to prohibit from holding gun licences. And I think we learnt that in Christchurch. So just classic race-baiting populist politics from the National Party a useless piece of legislation again from the member Simeon Brown. It's not the only useless bit of legislation targeting specifically aimed at gang members rather than taking an approach that would affect all criminals and all people who are causing harm in our communities to be pulled from the ballot. He's been incredibly lucky in that respect.But yeah our criminal justice system has tended to create more problems than it's solved. Of course the National Party will never take an evidence-based approach to reducing harm in our communities. They prefer to appeal to tribalism to scaremonger to make sure that the good people sitting at home watching the news feel very very afraid rather than taking effective approaches to reduce harm in our community.So the Green Party opposed this legislation at first reading. We oppose it at second reading. We look forward to it going away and for us to actually support the Government in an effective approach to criminal justice and to firearms prohibition that will actually reduce harm in our communities rather than dog-whistling to racists."