The Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO) are concerned at the statements by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and
Police Minister Stuart Nash at the Post-Cabinet Press Conference this afternoon stating that firearm ownership and
licences should be restricted to New Zealand citizens.
“No one was expecting the Government to require citizenship in order to enjoy the Kiwi pleasures of duck shooting, or
deer stalking,” says Nicole McKee, the spokesperson for COLFO’s Fair and Reasonable campaign. “This would have the
effect of revoking many thousands of licences, and mean that permanent residents can vote, be in our military, but not
be allowed to own a firearm.”
“This is a step too far, and would have the effect of excluding permanent residents from pastimes which are central to
rural communities.”
“What makes the announcement particularly strange is that despite media asking follow up questions, confirming the
Ministers’ positions that only citizens will be able to obtain licences, nowhere in the written material can we find
reference to this new restriction.”
“The Prime Minister and Minister of Police, are either not over the detail of what they propose, or have failed to
mention what is one of the biggest changes to the law in any of the consultation material. Either way it creates
uncertainty in a community that the Government should be working with, not against, to ensure New Zealand has reasonable
and proportionate firearms law reform.”
Affected firearms licence holders are invited to join the campaign at www.fairandreasonable.co.nz.