Nash StuartARMS (PROHIBITED FIREARMS MAGAZINES AND PARTS) AMENDMENT BILLFirst ReadingHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): I move That the Arms (Prohibited Firearms Magazines and Parts) Amendment Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Finance and Expenditure Committee to consider the bill. At the appropriate time I intend to move that the bill be reported to the House by Monday 8 April 2019 and that the committee have authority to meet at any time while the House is sitting except during oral questions during any evening on a day on which there has been a sitting of the House and on a Friday in a week where there has been a sitting of the House and outside the Wellington area despite Standing Orders 191 193 194(1)(b) and (c).As we meet today New Zealand is under a terror threat level of high". As we meet today police are routinely carrying firearms—Bushmaster rifles and Glock pistols—in a significant departure from normal practice. As we meet today mosques around the country require heightened security measures and a visible police presence to ensure the safety of worshippers. As we meet today the largest criminal investigation in New Zealand history is under way. Dozens of specialist police investigators supported by Australian federal and state police are following up concerns about a number of high-risk individuals. As we meet today a number of people are before the courts for trying to promote hateful publications and videos of death for unlawfully possessing weapons for making threats against our citizens and for murder.As we meet today we are driven by one objective. We are driven by the need to ensure public safety is as strong as it can be. We are also driven by the memory of 50 men women and children who were taken from their loved ones on 15 March. Their memory is our responsibility. We don't ever want to see an attack like this in our country again. We are compelled to act quickly. The Prime Minister announced the morning after the attacks that gun laws must change. That now falls on us as individual MPs and the whole Parliament.I am grateful for the support of colleagues from across the Chamber because the attacks in Christchurch exposed a considerable weakness in our current firearms law. The most critical weakness in our firearms law is that too many people have legal access to too many semi-automatic firearms capable of causing significant harm. The current Arms Act has a legal definition for military-style semi-automatics—or MSSAs as they are called—that is easily circumvented and is difficult in practice to apply. There are 7500 firearms licence holders who between them possess approximately 14000 MSSA firearms. Many more have semi-automatic firearms in a so-called sporting configuration and they are easily converted into an MSSA. Far too many people in this country have access to these dangerous firearms for no legitimate purpose but at significant risk to the public. However more broadly than this too many people have legal access to the parts and magazines that in a single change can easily convert a semi-automatic firearm into a lethal MSSA which then has the capacity to kill many people very quickly. So today we are debating legislation that will substantially tighten the current open and easy access to semi-automatic firearms to make our country a safer place. Our current firearms legislation came into force 35 years ago. It dates from the 1980s a time when New Zealand was more isolated from the rest of the world. There were strong import controls and no internet market place or social media. Since that time firearms technology has shifted. The weapons market has become global and they're a significant online community and trading environment. To bring firearms legislation more up to date and to substantially reduce loopholes and risk major change is needed. This bill takes the first steps to modernise the Act. It will restrict access to the number of assault rifles and MSSAs associated parts and large-capacity magazines. We want to remove firearms that are capable of causing the death and devastation we witnessed on 15 March. We are also banning parts of prohibited firearms or any part that can enable a weapon to be fired as a semi-automatic or fully automatic firearm. It is important to reiterate that the legislation is not directed at law-abiding firearms owners who have legitimate uses for their guns. Our actions instead are directed at making sure March 15th never happens again. Semi-automatic firearms which are commonly used for hunting pest control stock management on farms and duck shooting will not be affected. People can still use a .22 calibre rifle with a maximum 10-round magazine and a semi-automatic and pump-action shotgun with a maximum five-round magazine. These firearms are widely and safely used amongst our farming and hunting communities. Indeed today the Game Animal Council has confirmed that recreational and commercial hunting of large game animals such as deer pig and tahr will largely be unaffected. MSSAs and assault rifles are not needed for hunting or stock management. There will be a small number of tightly controlled exemptions for professional animal cullers and licensed firearms dealers. Those groups or individuals identified as management agencies under section 100 of the Biosecurity Act can apply to the Commissioner of Police for a permit to possess a prohibited firearm. This will include the sort of pest control work undertaken by contractors for the Department of Conservation or a local council. Those applying will need to demonstrate that they will use the firearm only for the purpose stated and must demonstrate that they cannot do the work with any other firearm. I already know that Federated Farmers and professional animal control groups would like to ensure that this applies to pest control on private land and the select committee will take advice on this. While these types of semi-automatics do not present the same level of risk to the public as MSSAs nevertheless they can cause harm. We have already signalled that we will be doing further work on strengthening the Arms Act in a future amendment bill including the criteria around who can get a firearms licence. The bill also proposes an exemption for bona fide collectors including museums and for film and theatre companies. They must take steps to disable the weapon and follow other guidelines around security and safety including storage. The exemptions I have described come with considerable checks and balances around them.Let us be clear: owning a firearm is a privilege not a right in this country. We need to remove the most dangerous weapons from our communities. The bill proposes the introduction of a number of new offences. This includes possessing using presenting supplying selling manufacturing and assembling a banned firearm. The offences attract penalties ranging from up to three years' imprisonment to 10 years' imprisonment depending on the nature and seriousness of the offence. We know this law change will have an impact on law-abiding firearms licence holders. That's why we have confirmed details of the amnesty and are working on fair and reasonable compensation through a buy-back scheme. There are good people in all of our communities who will find themselves in possession of banned firearms parts and magazines. This is because we are changing the law; not because these people have done anything wrong. Given this the Government is putting an amnesty in place. This will allow people to let the police know if they are in possession of a newly banned firearm part or magazine. The amnesty also means that other firearms parts and magazines and ammunition not affected by the ban can also be handed over. Police are already working with the New Zealand Defence Force around storage and transport and safe destruction of these weapons. The Government recognises that people have invested money in these firearms. Running alongside the amnesty the Government will implement a buy-back scheme for the newly banned firearms which are surrendered. The primary role of Government is to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens and to allow them the ability to go about their lives free from harm and free from the fear of harm. The select committee process will be used to ensure we have got the balance right between the legitimate use of firearms and tightening gun laws to improve the safety and security of all New Zealanders. Just before I close I want to pay tribute to the brave and compassionate and dedicated women and men of the New Zealand police service. Over the past few weeks they have shown our country why we have one of the best police services in the world. Our thoughts remain with our Muslim communities and the people of Christchurch. We are doing this for them. We are doing this for our future generations. It is our responsibility. Thank you Mr Speaker."