Arms (Shooting Clubs, Shooting Ranges, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill

Now that we resume this bill, we are up to call number five, and it is a New Zealand First call.

I rise on behalf of New Zealand First to speak in support of the Arms (Shooting Clubs, Shooting Ranges, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.

It’s probably timely, given the recent discussion in the House, that we talk about the importance of understanding the legislation and reading the legislation, and that the commentary that we have in this House has some bearing to the legislation that we’re actually debating. When this debate adjourned yesterday, there had been a couple of speeches that I think reflected quite openly that there hadn’t been much awareness or appreciation. When the Minister introduced the bill, she sort of cautioned that there was a necessity for people to understand this arms legislation and to be aware of what was being changed and amended in this piece of work that has been brought before the House, and I think it was apparent in the debates that this hadn’t occurred.

I would also like to acknowledge the Justice Committee, which has been incredibly hard-working, and honour the Hon James Meager as the chair and as the last speaker on this bill for making some very true and valid commentary around this.

I think, first of all, we want to acknowledge the fact that this bill is about simplifying registry requirements for clubs and ranges. Public safety remains at its core and it remains critically important to how we manage law in the area of firearms. The important thing is that we are talking about a very law-abiding group of citizens, largely predominantly volunteers, who are working to ensure that we have safe and effective use of firearms ranges and that they understand the importance of those ranges to improving skill, knowledge, safety, and use of firearms.

As we heard just this evening, there is a propensity to lean towards scaremongering, to suggest that there is a whole lot of danger that is going to be created. When you actually look at the legislation, it is a relatively small piece of work that is about ensuring that the ranges can continue to operate effectively and that they aren’t discouraged from an overly onerous regulatory environment. This idea and this innuendo that pops up—that there’s something else at play here, that there’s some kind of inference against the work that was being introduced—is just sad and, again, ill-informed. We have a piece of legislation that has been brought forward by a Minister who has extensive firearm safety experience and knowledge in this space, and therefore, importantly, has incredibly good knowledge and a good track record. Exactly the point: knowing your subject matter is really important. And that’s what I think: if we talk about the truth of the bill and the reality of the bill, the practicality of the amendments that are being brought forward is really important.

I think there were a couple of notices that were really emphasising the idea that the Police Association had made commentary on this bill. I think that’s important. As a former vice president of the Police Association, and I suppose you could call me a lobbyist in that environment as well, it was important that the Police Association make comment, just as they did make comment about the gang patch legislation. They cautioned about the gang patch legislation but they are now celebrating that gang patch legislation for the powers it has given police officers and the effectiveness that legislation has had. We listened to those submissions but, like the Police Association, we listen, we take heed of the advice given, but we still move forward and we work forward to practical solutions. That’s what this legislation is.

There was commentary about this idea that gang members are on unregulated shooting ranges and that would be part of this. That’s exactly the point of this. We want to ensure that our ranges remain open, they remain regulated, they remain certified, and they remain operating, and that we do not end up with an unregulated environment. That is why we are pushing to make sure that these volunteers that work in this space can continue to keep their ranges operating, that we are not treating them as if they are criminals, and that we are respecting the contribution they make to gun safety in this country.

This bill has been enhanced, as the Minister outlined, through the select committee process with key changes to improve that have been thoroughly outlined—again, demonstrating that the process of making good law involves that process of listening to submitters and in taking the opportunity to make it better. That is what this law has done. That is why this piece of legislation we’ve introduced to introduce a better regulatory environment that protects gun safety, that acknowledges that the predominant number of gun users in this country are law-abiding citizens, and the importance of ranges is that they allow for firearms safety and firearms knowledge and security and experience to be developed so that there is a greater level of public safety in this country. New Zealand First commends this bill to the House. Thank you.

The next call is a split call. I call Tākuta Ferris.

Tēnā koe e te Pīka. E tū ana ahau ki te tuku i ngā kōrero a Te Pāti Māori mō te ture e kīia nei ko te Arms Amendment Bill i roto i tēnei pānuitanga.

[Thank you, Madam Speaker. I stand to convey the Māori Party’s comments regarding the legislation known as the Arms Amendment Bill in this reading.]

The date of 15 March 2019 marks a deadly act of white supremacy, taking 51 innocent lives and permanently altering the lives of an entire community that this House promised to protect. The Christchurch terrorist attacks were a part of a global surge in coordinated attacks against marginalised communities and peoples. This is proof that white supremacy violence extends beyond simple ideology and into the lived realities of many in our country, and many others.

Understand this: it’s a real thing. Understand that in the context of these amendments tonight, we will remove critical safety regulations, enabling extremists to access firearms and train in the use of such firearms. This is a fact. The royal commission of inquiry into the Christchurch attacks revealed that the gunman’s ability to train in the use of firearms in an unregulated shooting range was a critical factor leading up to March 15, 2019. To deregulate safety provisions, we actively undermine the safety of all and dishonour the memory of the victims of the Christchurch terror attacks.

This is a dangerous roll-back of protections and it is protection that Te Tiriti o Waitangi guarantees both tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti in Aotearoa. This bill breaches Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Crown’s duty to safeguard us as its citizens and our people—and all of our people. Our history and lived reality as Māori in this country reveal that our communities are, more often than not, overpoliced and under-protected. Weakening regulations increases the chances that firearms are misused and that Māori are exposed to increased police scrutiny, provided there will be weak rules. This is how systemic racism remains within a system. This is how acts of white supremacy are endorsed by a Government unwilling to address what lies in plain sight.

As Te Pāti Māori, we strongly advise the Government, in maintaining and strengthening the existing regulatory framework under the Arms Act 1983—that all shooting clubs and ranges must be subject to regular inspections and compliance with national safety standards. We also advise that policies are informed by robust data and meaningful consultation with Māori, the principal partner in Te Tiriti o Waitangi—although I know that often falls on deaf ears—ensuring that they align with the tikanga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Finally, Te Pāti Māori opposes and absolutely rejects any legislative proposal that prioritises lobbyists’ interests over the safety of the public and equity. This bill is a step in the wrong direction, undermining the progress made to ensure firearm safety in Aotearoa. Guns capable of rapid fire are tools of terror—they are not tools for kai; they are not tools of sport—and their deregulation compromises the safety of all people in Aotearoa. Te Pāti Māori stands resolute against this legislation, calling on Parliament to reject this dangerous roll-back of protections and to honour the victims of the Christchurch terror attacks by upholding public safety and equity for all. Kia ora tātou.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the Green Party of Aotearoa in the strongest opposition to the Arms (Shooting Clubs, Shooting Ranges, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill. We do not accept that amending Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983 serves any legitimate need of licensed firearms owners or enhances public safety in any way. Instead, this bill rolls back critical safety measures and increases our risks to community. We must do everything we can to ensure that our communities are safe. I came into Parliament to serve my communities, and that is who I stand with here today, and those are the voices that I am uplifting here today.

Al Noor Mosque is just around the corner, a short walk from my home, and I have been welcomed there with opened arms. Today, I stand with those communities and honour the victims and survivors of the 15 March terrorist attack.

We do acknowledge that shooting clubs play a role in firearms safety and education for some licensed owners. However, reducing the regulation and oversight of these clubs and ranges ignores the voices of the communities that we serve. The Arms Act is to promote the safe possession and use of firearms, and this bill undermines that purpose by limiting police oversight and weakening those safety regulations.

The Green Party is also concerned that this bill is being championed by Associate Minister of Justice McKee, rather than the Minister of Police. Firearms legislation traditionally falls under the police Minister’s remit, and this deviation raises serious questions about the bill’s origins and intent, and the Government side has actually failed to address these adequately. Why was the bill introduced? Whose interests does it serve? And why is Parliament being asked to weaken firearms regulation without clear, evidence-based justification—clear, evidence-based justification?

As I said, Al Noor is a short walk from my home, and I have been welcomed to Al Noor with open arms, and I have talked to victims and victims’ families and survivors. This debate is not a hypothetical one. The Christchurch terror attack on 15 March 2019 was the deadliest act of white supremacist violence in Aotearoa’s history: 51 innocent people were murdered and many more were injured.

This isn’t an isolated incident. Globally, white supremacist terrorism is on the rise, targeting marginalised communities, particularly Muslim, Jewish, and people of colour. The royal commission of inquiry into the Christchurch terrorist attack made it clear that weak oversight of firearms clubs and ranges enabled the shooter to train and prepare for this unimaginable act of violence, and that that day stopped us in our tracks. It stopped our country, it stopped the world, in its tracks, because this is something we saw on TV screens, happening overseas, not here, just around the corner from my home.

That’s why we must stop this bill, and I implore to you to listen to the lessons that we have learnt from the royal commission of inquiry. This bill lacks evidential justification and ignores the clear warnings from experts, including the Police Association. We must do better and stop this law.

This debate is interrupted and is set down for resumption next sitting day. The House stands adjourned until 2 p.m. tomorrow.

Debate interrupted.

The House adjourned at 10 p.m.