Thread: Registry to stay??

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

From the perspective of someone wanting wider semi auto access, I see political advantages in keeping the register. We all know that criminals are importing drugs, guns etc regularly. If we get wider access to semi autos and maintain a register of all legal firearms then comparing criminal use to legal use will be easier. Even Cahill might have difficulty blaming licensed shooters for crimes once the register is fully implemented, and unlicensed firearms alone are turning up in crime stats.

On the last sentence - you underestimate his lack of shame, I think. We've had a handgun register since forever and he still tut-tuts whenever Police recover pistols from crims. To be fair, most are toys/airsoft/blank-firing and not actual handguns.

There are 2 bits of evidence that support what Ben writes here, that I see:

a) E-category worked. We have decades of evidence of this. The anti-gun types know that too so they avoid the subject (and it met nearly all the things they actually say they want, just not the things they wont say). Word is even Police knew it in 2019 and expected it to be retained. So getting it back should be a focus.

b) There is clear evidence out of Australia of the ineffectiveness of a Register: Research suggests it is easier than ever for criminals to get guns illegally in Australia

It's a good article to refer people to, even Gun Control NZ. You'll note the word 'Register' never appears in the article once, not even from the Police.

Interesting stuff in there on moves to focus on the user rather than the tool.

And I'll add in c) Create a stand-alone Firearms Safety Authority, outside of Police. Separate policy from enforcement. NZTA works, firearms will be simpler than that.