Thread: Re applying for expired FAL

Originally Posted by Ross Nolan

Step outside for a few minutes.

Precisely - go for a walk up the back and they can give me a text when done. simple

Mine finally arrived in the post a week or two ago - a few days short of 18 months... but that was applying from scratch due to it expiring while overseas (and that includes the paper application sitting gathering dust for 6 months till someone realised it hadn't been moved over to the new online system). Hard to fathom how a simple renewal could be approaching a similar timeframe... and I was under the impression they were prioritising renewals.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned elsewhere but this was in the NZDA newsletter a few days ago.

"NZDA has received an update from the Police, who are expanding its arms team under the new Licensing Pipeline Reduction Project.

The Project will increase staff in the Historic File Support Team from 14 to 63, to focus on the resolution of outstanding firearms licence applications. The increased team will be spread out across all Police districts and the Project aims to substantially reduce outstanding applications in the pipeline to a manageable level.

Once the full team is operational, any unassigned file over three months old will be managed by the team, not district staff. Therefore, the Project will help to greatly reduce overall pipeline applications. Recruitment for the additional staff has begun earlier this month, Police expects to have all positions filled within two months. We will keep you updated on this and progress of the Project’s work over the coming months."

It's no good blaming the police who have to deal with limited resources due to limited government funding. I would guess that it costs the police well over $500 to process a firearms application. It was around $400 several years ago. The FA licence fee is only $126.50 for 10 years for a renewal or 5 years for a first timer. That amount covers all change of address security checks which cost in travel and wages.

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

It's no good blaming the police who have to deal with limited resources due to limited government funding. I would guess that it costs the police well over $500 to process a firearms application. It was around $400 several years ago. The FA licence fee is only $126.50 for 10 years for a renewal or 5 years for a first timer. That amount covers all change of address security checks which cost in travel and wages.

fair points.....BUT SOMEONE is responsible........and someone should be held to account....... if not the overworked line blue line,who eggzachary is the culprit???

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

fair points.....BUT SOMEONE is responsible........and someone should be held to account....... if not the overworked line blue line,who eggzachary is the culprit???

I don’t know. Covid had a huge influence because of the lockdowns when people couldn't be interviewed. If a private company was running the show then you'd be paying $500 or more for your licence. Private companies are there to make a profit not to make friends. Staff who weren't performing up to expectations would no doubt be replaced quickly. So you get efficiency but it costs the consumer.

I do not buy the covid thing.....other than the face to face interview itself...there was and still is very little of the FAL application process that couldnt be done reguardless of covid....most of the background checks etc could have even been done "working from home" even if HAD covid ..... there should have been a whole heap of applications waiting to go as soon as face to face was again possible,with all the ground work already done.....
it seems to me to be an excuse for poor time management.......if not downright stalling tactics.
every time I open this thread and read of the long waiting times,go and check my own licence and wonder just when or how soon I need to put in for renewal given the suggested timeframe seems to be less than actual timeframe needed.

I wouldn't mind paying more for an FAL if I had someone who did their job managing it
I don't buy the resources argument when they diverted license money to their general fund and I don't buy the covid argument as outlined by prev poster

It seems obvious that plod is dragging their feet as some sort of attempt to turn people off getting their licenses

Either that or they are just plain incompetent

At the moment if I had another run at it I'd be applying at least one calendar year before expiry and putting in an IPCA complaint if I hadn't heard anything in 6 months
In effect it is now a 9 year license

Yay

the private companies are there to make profit not friends.......... we see that with driver licence testing...ANY excuse to fail an applicant means they get another go and have to re pay the fee....... the difference between one area,different testers can be rather wide.... Ashburton woman definately there to clip the ticket as many times as posible from what we saw when son went through licences a couple of years back.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

the private companies are there to make profit not friends.......... we see that with driver licence testing...ANY excuse to fail an applicant means they get another go and have to re pay the fee....... the difference between one area,different testers can be rather wide.... Ashburton woman definately there to clip the ticket as many times as posible from what we saw when son went through licences a couple of years back.

I'd take an imperfect system that processed applications in time over the shit show we have now anyday

Originally Posted by 10-Ring

It's no good blaming the police who have to deal with limited resources due to limited government funding. I would guess that it costs the police well over $500 to process a firearms application. It was around $400 several years ago. The FA licence fee is only $126.50 for 10 years for a renewal or 5 years for a first timer. That amount covers all change of address security checks which cost in travel and wages.

At least private businesses have an incentive to please their customers, or else their bottom line is hit. Doesn’t seem like there is any such accountability with government run things. That being said i don’t think it is possible for stuff like firearms licensing to be privately run. I wouldn’t mind paying extra to get things done properly and in a timely manner.

Imagine this drama if it affected renewing your Drivers License? The country would come to a stand still. And we all know road deaths outstrip anything else...but education is the key...the cheapest & most ineffective way the govt can use? Just an opinion.

Originally Posted by JessicaChen

At least private businesses have an incentive to please their customers, or else their bottom line is hit. Doesn’t seem like there is any such accountability with government run things. That being said i don’t think it is possible for stuff like firearms licensing to be privately run. I wouldn’t mind paying extra to get things done properly and in a timely manner.

This is true when there is competition, but cynical old me, can't help but think that one company running the whole gig wouldn't have to please anyone but their shareholders. Good service costs money, and spending money doesn't make profit. As MD mentioned above, they'd be incentivised to fail people - god help you if you failed to cross a t or dot an i.

Totally agree on the second point though, imagine the risk aversion, hoop jumping and waivers they would have as a private company, potentially responsible/liable for Chch-type events?

Let's see what the LPRP cavalry can do to speed things up!

I think there was some additional strain as workloads for police around the country increased during the 30 or so days of the Parliament protest. Some firearms staff were given additional responsibilities over that time.

Originally Posted by Sideshow

No not planing on returning just yet. But will do at some stage. Just asking the questions.

My mate & his wife from Wales moved over to NZ a few years back where he obtained his NZ FAL but later moved back to Wales due to a work offer his wife couldn’t refuse so they now spend half there time between Wales & NZ.

Before moving to NZ he had to give up his UK FAL but once back he reapplied and obtained it.

Since being back in Wales his NZ FAL came up for renewal.

While looking at reapplying for his NZ FAL he was told by authorities in Wales that he couldn’t have a FAL for both countries as he needs to be a ‘resident’ where he’s residing in the UK.

So if he got a NZ FAL it would effect his UK license

Speaking with the firearms officer in NZ, they told him to let his license expire to apply for a visitors license & bring his rifle over with him each time as he has a safe he can move from his daughters place etc.

So check to see if getting a NZ FAL will effect your UK FAL