New Zealand: Gun registration off the agenda

Gun registration off the agenda – Hawkins
FRIDAY , 24 DECEMBER 2004

The Government has finally abandoned the idea of registering firearms. Police Minister George Hawkins confirmed today that registration will not be in a bill he is preparing to tighten border control of illicit arms trading. The legislation will bring New Zealand into line with international protocols on the control of weapons, parts and ammunition.

The registration of all the guns in the country was recommended seven years ago in a government-commissioned review of gun laws carried out by Sir Thomas Thorpe. Neither the previous nor the present government acted on the recommendation, and Mr Hawkins said today it was off the agenda.

“Police told the Government it wouldn’t make very much difference, and they recommended that we did not register every firearm,” he said on National Radio. “Police advice was that most of the times guns are used illegally, they are illegal guns and they don’t know about them anyway.”

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