New Zealand is banning all assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and military-style semi-automatic rifles in response to the nation’s deadliest massacre in history, the country’s prime minister announced Thursday.
“On 15 March our history changed forever,” Jacinda Ardern said at a press conference in Auckland. “Now, our laws will too. We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place.”
National Cleansing Process
Jacinda Ardern said the ban goes into effect immediately and would be followed by legislation next month. New Zealand’s citizens should make arrangements to turn in weapons banned under the new laws, Ardern told the nation in a live television announcement
The government also moved to prevent stockpiling of weapons before the changes become law. From Thursday all firearms that are to be banned will now require purchasers to have an E-category gun license.
The government also moved to prevent stockpiling of weapons before the changes become law. From Thursday all firearms that are to be banned will now require purchasers to have an E-category gun license.
A loophole in the law has allowed anyone with a basic A-category gun license to purchase a semiautomatic, such as an AR-15, before easily upgrading the firearm into a more dangerous military-style weapon.
New Zealand will also ban parts used to convert regular weapons into MSSAs as well as all high-capacity magazines.
An amnesty will be put in place for weapons to be handed in and the government will implement a buyback scheme for firearms owners, which is expected to cost as much as $140 million.
Leading By Example
The swift response and cross-party support for the new laws have drawn significant reaction in the U.S. where Sen. Bernie Sanders called for a similar ban. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) pointed out that no action was taken after the Parkland school shooting, saying that Ardern was showing ”what leadership looks like.”
On the other hand however, NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch responded by saying New Zealand is “an entirely different country that doesn’t have the right to bear arms as a cornerstone of its constitution.”
On Saturday, Ardern also noted that Trump was among the international leaders who called her to offer support. “He very much wished for his condolences to be passed on to New Zealand,” Ardern said. “He asked what support the US could provide. My message was sympathy and love for all Muslim communities.”
Finally, and crucially, rather than simply offering thoughts and prayers—Trump’s standard—Ardern has vowed to ban semi-automatic weapons in the country, announcing, “Now is the time for change.” Authorities said there were five guns used in the attack, including two semi-automatic weapons, a lever-action firearm, and two shotguns, and that the primary perpetrator had a gun license acquired in 2017.
