Thread: Call to Arms

"As the Minister of Police, you're responsible for the Arms Act 1983 and we're responsible for administering and enforcing it," Bush said.

"The act is overdue for amendment.

"The courts have identified gaps and the need for clarification of drafting."

Bush said the previous government "signalled its intention to deal with these issues" through two pieces of legislation - the Arms Amendment Bill and an Arms (Firearms Prohibition Orders and Firearms Licences) Amendment Bill.

"Criminal activity, combined with changing technology and marketing, have highlighted additional gaps in the legislation which, when exploited, have safety implications," Bush said.

"These gaps also present administrative challenges and we have to rely on the overall purpose of the act to inform our decisions in the absence of explicit legislation.

The previous Minister of Police agreed to introduce firearms prohibition orders (FPOs) for a small group of the most serous and violent offenders.

Should you wish to continue with FPOs, this could be progressed through a standalone amendment to the Arms Act 1983 or as part of a more comprehensive Arms Amendment Bill."

Briefings: Police urge new minister to make 'key' decisions on firearms - NZ Herald