[B]Final Police Consultation Roadshow, Dunedin 29 June 2018.[/B]
Final Firearms Consultation Meeting. Victoria Hotel, Dunedin June 29th, 2018. 1400-1530.
Fitting, perhaps, that we should have the final consultation of this roadshow in Dunedin, near Aramoana. Whatever side of any debate you stand, Aramoana had it all:
- A gun owner mentally ill, unfit to have a firearm,
- A gun owner who had threatened to kill, improper to have a firearm,
- An inadequate police response, failing to seize the man's guns --- but who could have imagined???
- Semi automatic rifles used to kill, and kill, and kill.
So, Superintendent Mike McIlraith and his group facilitator (both appearing exhausted but still functional) chaired a meeting attended also by our local Arms Officer, Andrea and of course 20-30 shooters and firearms dealers, GC and H&F. Happy to see a couple of female shooters made it. Spoke to one bloke from Central Otago, who had broken his back last year. He had managed to schedule a hospital check the same morning to allow him to attend the meeting. Guess a lot of the others had made great efforts to turn up on a working day.
Anyway, back to the meeting itself, I had the impression that by now Mike had heard most things before at the earlier meetings, as nothing really seemed to startle him and his facilitator knew quite well in which category to file each issue raised.
The Arms Act - staying as it is
In his opening remarks, Mike clarified, “The Government has made it very clear that the [Arms] Act is not going to change.” and that Police has been directed to “Effectively administer the Act”.
I reflect, that the recent Government redaction of NZ Police recommendations out of an FOI reply, should perhaps be seen in the light of this: as the Government has ruled out touching Firearms Legislation, the Police recommendations have become a non-issue, at least for now.
Which brings us to effective administration of the Arms Act and feedback provided at the Dunedin Meeting:
Firearms renewals
Referees, it was pointed out, are not the most appropriate persons to ask whether the applicant has a criminal history, especially by an employee of the NZ Police! Likewise, it seems questions of mental health should be directed to an applicant's GP. It was suggested that questions asked of referees should be reviewed to be more appropriate.
Another contributor was shocked that his wife was interviewed with him present, whereas other shooters at their renewal were asked to leave the room when their wifes/partner was interviewed.
Yet another person objected to cross questioning applied by one interviewer, the same question being repeated in five different ways, making him feel as if he was suspected of some crime.
Difficulty level of the current exam.
One contributor though the current exam was too simple, practical handling of guns should be included. Discussion around the correct level centred about the need to be fair to FAL applicants who had no background in firearms, like urban dwellers vs rural. Police wanted firearms owners to get licenses.
New firearms license application process
There has apparently been a rush on the “old” course, with 130 attendees recently in Napier!
The new course will continue to be “about the practical, safe handling of firearms” but with some hands on training. Firearms were currently getting deactivated in preparation for their use in the courses.
The basic process was...
1. Initial firearms license application, police vetting etc (applicants cannot just turn up and do the course).
2. Firearms theory examination based on the seven basic rules of firearms safety. Done at Automobile Association offices like the current driving theory examinations. The test questions will be set at a 12-year old reading level to facilitate most people. A reading assistant will be made available for people with learning difficulties, as for driving theory tests too.
One shooter, Chaz Forsyth of the MSC, questioned whether colour vision tests could be included but this was not currently planned. I personally thought that would be useful, not so much to bar people from shooting but because it might improve safety if shooters are aware of a personal inability to distinguish certain colours. That said, in low light colour vision is always poor.
3. Practical course, details to be finalised.
User Pays
Mike mentioned under the user pays system, FAL holders currently contribute half a million dollars to the annual 11 million dollar cost of administrating the Firearms Act. He envisaged that in future FAL holders' share would likely increase and Government's share decrease.
Probationary period for FAL holders.
Mike thought it a good idea, younger shooters learning from older shooters etc. It is also what we do for Driving Licenses. Someone pointed out probationary licenses have not solved the road death toll.
Issuing of Permits.
This system has recently been centralised. Mike, in discussion with some firearms dealers after the meeting, said it would be great to have an online system which automatically approves requests for permits to procure that are in keeping with the applicant's FAL endorsements.
Customs
It was suggested Customs and NZ Police should have a better system set up, one dealer felt bad having to again approach the local firearms officer Andrea for yet another letter to get things released that have already been approved.
Firearms License Numbers
The old chestnut of replacement FALs which have the same number on them as the original lost one. This contrasts with replacement driving licenses which are always issued with a new number. Mike had obviously looked into this as he indicated it was difficult for IT to implement.
Firearms License Checks.
Dealers like Gun City had expressed interest in having a system like TradeMe where it was able to check if a gun license was currently valid. Again the difficulty of stolen licenses with duplicate numbers on their replacements was raised.
License Renewal Delays
The ten-yearly renewal process has delays in it. One speaker complained that some FAL holders can be without a valid license for up to six months and thus unable to use their guns or even buy ammunition for them all that time. Last time he decided to start his renewal process three months earlier to avoid this situation, and was told by the Police to go away as they had not yet sent him his reminder letter! He duly insisted.
Club Ownership of Firearms
Chaz Forsyth raised the issue of club ownership of firearms. Mike replied that this was not provided for in legislation so was outside the remit of the current meeting, and repeated his opening comment that there was not going to be any legislation change.
Firearms Storage
Mike volunteered his understanding that gun storage was to avoid access to guns by casual burglars as well as by children. He stated that even better security helps, but added that targeted burglaries were difficult to defend against – “the right tools and nothing matters.” A shooter himself, he had had to upgrade his own storage.
Deceased Firearms Owner – what to do with the guns?
Recommended take to a dealer or to a license holder. Police also an option but guns would likely end up getting destroyed in that case.
Firearms theft
Mike stated that the bulk of burglarised people cannot give Police the make, model and serial number of their lost firearms. Ouch!
In response to a question, NZ Police does not have a dedicated database of stolen firearms.
And finally. Firearms in Unattended Vehicles! The old chestnut.
Mike was reluctant to promise any written police guidance on the matter of firearms left in unattended vehicles. His own advice, and he stressed this was his own interpretation and not law, was that unattended means guns left in a car overnight somewhere like in the Octagon [Dunedin City Centre]. It did not apply to leaving a firearm covered in a car and going for a toilet, pie & coffee break -, even better with the firearm bolt taken with you.
And then Cordite hit the road.
