New Zealand's Ardern acts to tighten gun laws further

Friday, 13 September 2019 09:44

New Zealand plans to further tighten its gun laws, six months after attacks on two Christchurch mosques left 51 people dead.

"Owning a firearm is a privilege, not a right," Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said in a statement after announcing a new bill in Parliament on Friday.

"That attack exposed weaknesses in legislation which we have the power to fix. We would not be a responsible government if we didn't address them."

The new bill will include a register to track every firearm legally held in New Zealand and will shorten the duration of a gun licence from 10 years to five years.

It'll also aim to ensure gun ownership is restricted to responsible users and prevent the flow of guns into the black market.

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