NZ Gun Licences Will Be Harder To Get:

Two days ago I had a visit from the Police Licensing Authority to check my endorsed firearms security - he had to check that my 'B' Category handguns were properly held under the required level of security - and that his records of my pistols and revolvers matched the police supplied list.

We had to work through a full-sized book of questions about my house door hinges, locks, burglar alarms, window construction and materials, how was my gun safe bolted to the property structure - and where did I keep my keys. Then I had to countersign his entries at the bottom of each page.

- All a bit tedious really as the questions and answers were the same as last time one year ago - other than one gun sold and a couple of new purchases. But that's the systems requirements.

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is very concerned about the changes to firearms’ licensing, training and testing, being proposed by the Mountain Safety Council (MSC).

Currently the MSC Firearms Safety Programme has about 480 volunteer instructors with significant hunting and shooting experience. They are based in 150 locations in New Zealand. MSC propose to significantly reduce the number of trainers and the number of locations.

The three models being considered are:

A. 40 part time paid instructors covering 50 locations, or
B. 5 full time paid instructors covering 50 locations, or
C. 15 Part time paid and 72 Volunteers covering 50 locations.


MSC volunteers have been delivering the Firearms Safety Programme for the past 30 years and its success can be measured by the steady decline in the number of unintentional shooting incidents, better practical training and advice, and monitoring of the behaviour and safety standards of fellow shooters.

All those rural workers and residents needing to get an NZ Firearms Licence may be faced with taking days off work and having to travel into the closest City or town to attend a two day course and written test. - How many just won't bother?

The MSF Firearms Safety Council is funded by New Zealand Police to provide this training.

Of course the Mountain Safety Council maintain that these changes are only 'proposals' and that they will continue to "consult" with interested parties ..

- Where have I heard that sort of PR bull-shit before?

Marty K.