Nash StuartHon STUART NASH (Minister of Police): We have travelled a long way in eight days since this bill was read a first time. It has been a punishing schedule for MPs submitters and public servants who played a role in this process. In that time we have walked in the shoes of a wide cross-section of our communities. Discussions during the eight days of debate on this bill have taken us to the sanctuary of the mosque; they've allowed us to witness the supreme effort of trauma surgeons in the hospital emergency department.We've caught a glimpse of the family circles now with an empty chair or two in their household. We know there are widows many widows. There are children who have been to funerals of a sibling a parent or a grandparent. There are elderly members of our community who never got a chance to say farewell to an old friend. As well as the victims and bereaved we have walked through the worlds of the gun users and dealers. Women have talked about their lives on farms. We've been taken through the landscape of the high country sheep station introduced to the atmosphere on rifle ranges and heard of the wildlife in the mountains and valleys frequented by recreational hunters. The Police Association reminded us of the everyday reality for front-line cops listening to instructions and warnings on the radio as they head to a call out wearing body armour to enable them to walk into danger. While Parliament has been to these worlds many other visits have been happening outside this place. Family and friends have been tending to the 14 people still lying in hospital beds recovering from gunshot wounds and other injuries. That includes a five-year-old girl at Starship in Auckland and her father in the hospital next door. One patient remains in intensive care in Christchurch Hospital; others are at Burwood Hospital. This legislation is just the first step of many to make our country safer. The all-of-Government response is ongoing. Police are acutely aware of how vulnerable and frightened some communities still feel after the terror attack. They've established a special operation to reach out to these groups to provide reassurance and advice. They are also responding to the many questions people have about safety and security. Police have made almost 2000 visits to schools. They've made almost 1400 visits to places of worship. These visits are mostly but not exclusively to our mosques but I'm also aware of a visit made by police to a Chinese Christian church which normally has 150 people at its Sunday service. Many had stopped coming because of fears and false rumours about threats but police were able to reassure this congregation. Fourteen police officers with specialist cultural knowledge and skills have been deployed to liaise with ethnic communities in Christchurch. The diversity of our police force is growing as we roll-out 1800 extra officers which means that police are increasingly drawn from the communities they serve they can speak the language and they know about faith and cultural practices. Police have also made about 150 visits to gun clubs—this is an important community for police. It is worth repeating the assurances given by Government from the earliest days. 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. This is why we have an amnesty and we are putting in place a buy-back scheme. To date more than 300 weapons have been handed over during the amnesty and more than 1100 online forms have been completed for more weapons and parts to be handed over. There have been 1900 phone calls to the dedicated police freephone 0800 311 311. The amnesty runs to 30 September but I want to remind the House that there has always been provision to extend that date by Order in Council if necessary. Alongside that amnesty the buy-back will now be structured within a strict statutory framework. The framework will provide certainty for all participants and create a transparent system for compensation. Police have consulted extensively with Australian officials about their experience with almost 30 amnesties and buy-backs since the 1990s. We want to take the time to get it right to avoid some of the pitfalls and legal risks encountered across the Tasman. Tonight's third reading completes the passage of the Arms (Prohibited Firearms Magazines and Parts) Amendment Bill. We've begun work on an Arms Amendment Bill (No 2) which we hope to see around June. That bill will address some long-debated questions around a gun register the licensing regime the system of police vetting the fit and proper person test storage requirements and penalties amongst other matters. I hope this House can once again come together to work collaboratively on the next stage of reforms. Before I conclude I would like to specifically acknowledge a few people. The first is our Prime Minister. Jacinda Ardern gave us the mandate to respond swiftly to the horror attacks of 15 March and change the gun laws in a way that will make a real difference. Opinions will vary of course but I believe this bill will be one of the more important legacies of her prime ministership as it was for John Howard. I thank her for her boldness and her leadership. Secondly I'd like to acknowledge my ministerial adviser Barbara Edmonds who has been fantastic. Without Barbara's tenacity drive intellect organisational skills and relationships and huge hours—huge hours—I'm not 100 percent sure that we would be here now where we are with this bill. To Barbara's husband Chris and her children: I just want to say that your wife and mother has been as influential as anyone in making change that matters to ensure the ongoing safety of our communities. She has made a difference to New Zealand and you have every reason to be very proud of her. My press secretary Kathryn Street has also worked incredible hours and provided an extremely high level of professionalism advice guidance and insight since 15 March. She is a star. Travis Mills my police private secretary even though only 24 has the wisdom intelligence and insights of someone twice his age and experience. Trav you have been brilliant. In fact everyone in my office: Catherine Pantling has worked incredible hours Jason Smith has taken over Travis' police workload in order to free Trav up and Anna Weir who has had to read a lot of the terrible messages and take some of the unpleasant calls. We've asked a lot of our public servants and I would especially like to acknowledge Deputy Police Commissioner Andy Coster and his police policy team. They have made this country a better place. To conclude I acknowledge that in just over two weeks we'll be marking Anzac Day and police are busy working with RSAs and councils to make the occasion as safe as possible. Traditionally this day remembers those who have been lost in war—the military and civilians. We remember those who have served our country who have worked to make it a safer place where freedoms are protected. Of course those freedoms include being free from harm and free from the fear of harm. Those freedoms include making room for diversity tolerance and inclusion.The day marks the historical ties that will for ever link New Zealand Australia and our friends in Turkey. It is an appropriate moment to remind the House of the words of the great Ottoman and Islamic leader Field Marshal Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He honoured our war dead who are buried in Turkey with the words which are reproduced on multiple war memorials in Wellington Canberra and Anzac Cove overlooking the Aegean Sea. He noted: you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference to us between the Johnnies and the Mehmets … where they lie side by side here in this country of ours." We embrace those who lost their lives in the mosques. They are us. Thank you."