Hugh Devereux-Mack
The Council of Licensed Firearm Owners (COLFO) has refuted anti-firearm based claims by the Police Association over government proposals aimed to ease irrelevant rules on firearm clubs and ranges.
COLFO spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack gave as examples claims made by the Federation of Islamic Associations of NZ and the Police Union
“These are squeals from people outraged to no longer have exclusive access to a gullible Government like the previous Labour led one,” he said.
Hugh Devereux-Mack said Police Union’s Chris Cahill comments show little knowledge of clubs and ranges, which explains why they were not asked to help ensure technical accuracy of the discussion document.
“New Zealanders with a basic knowledge of range safety records instantly recognise form-filling nonsense that serves no useful purpose to their safety. Most of it is data already available, and recording it makes no one an ounce safer.”
COLFO wanted to increase availability and membership of clubs and ranges because they are a community-means of driving good practice and openness.
Hugh Devereux-Mack said Chris Cahill had also repeated a claim that licensed firearm owners are the biggest source of firearms for gangs.
“Cahill has subtly added the phrase ‘biggest known’ source. That’s because licensed firearm owners are the only source Police have investigated. That investigation discovered that the source could not be traced for 86% of illegally owned firearms found in the possession of criminals.”
Police have never investigated sources such as imports, smuggling, and clandestine local armourers he added.
Police Union
“Despite Police Unionist Cahill’s claims, Police were invited to submit as part of the consultation process. The Police Union that Cahill represents are not a part of the Ministers Advisory Group or involved in Clubs and Ranges. As the Firearms Safety Authority moves away from Police management, Cahill should become accustomed to having the same rights as other lobby groups,” he explained.
Hugh Devereux-Mack also challenged the claims of FIANZ chairperson Abdur Razzaq.
“Abdur Razzaq made the misleading statements that the costs associated with the Section 6 were “less than half the cost of a pack of bullets” and that the time to complete the paperwork was approximately 22 minutes. These statements highlight he is either intentionally misleading the public, or does not have even a foundational knowledge of the topic he is wanting to give feedback on; this should lead people to ask, what real value would his submission contain?”
Regarding the cost of compliance: New Zealand Deerstalkers Association Wellington Branch operates the only public long-arm range that is used by hunters, pest controllers and recreational hunters in the city. It is a non-profit run by volunteers and was impacted by the new compliance regulations. The costs of compliance were the equivalent of 12 years of operating revenue for the range, with thousands of dollars being invested to tick boxes despite there being no history of unsafe practices. In fact, the organisation teaches firearm safety and uses the range to educate new hunters.
Invitation
“Although filling in the paperwork may only take 22 minutes, the investment of volunteer hours to gather information for the boxes ticking is significant. We encourage Mr Razzaq to contact his local range and join a working bee or range day so he may better understand what he is speaking so passionately about.”
Across the 23 ranges the NZDA manages, the cost of compliance is likely hundreds of thousands of dollars and hours of work to tick boxes. Scaremongering the public about perceived threats to safety is not valuable as part of the democratic process,” said Hugh Devereux-Mack.
He outlined some facts on consultation:-
Media has been misled into reporting that the review of regulations would not be open to the public.
It is standard practice across all government to ensure discussion documents are accurate before consultation. A draft was given to the Minister’s Arms Advisory Group (MAAG) to comment on whether it accurately depicted the regulatory tasks undertaken by clubs and ranges.
It is worth noting that the same outrage over the democratic process being rushed was not heard from these critics when the public was given 2 days’ notice, and 5 minutes per submission, when the Ardern Government changed firearm laws in 2019.
“All New Zealanders will have opportunities to be involved in the officials’ consultation phase and the Parliament process,” he said.
Facts on range safety are:-
Safety within more than 1,201 ranges around New Zealand has never been a danger to the public.
Since 1987 there have been only 19 injuries at shooting clubs, 15 were at highly regulated police certified pistol ranges, and 4 were police or military injuries – not recreational hunters or licensed firearm owners. Only 4 of the 19 injuries occurred at long-arm ranges that are affected by the proposed Section 6 changes.
Footnote
For further information contact COLFO Spokesperson: Hugh Devereux-Mack. 027 362 0853
Bench-rest shooting
photo NZDA
Sorry to say it but Chris Cahill is not a good P.R. image on television for the police. He is so prejudiced against law abiding firearm owners and I guess that shows up in his wild, inaccurate claims. I feel sorry for the many genuine police officers that he is seen on behalf of the police on television. Well said Hugh Devereux-Mack and COLFO.
SO, Mr.Cahill you keep stating that Licensed Firearm Owners are supplying firearms to criminal gangs??
How do you explain how someone walked into the Palmerston Nth police station & calmly walked out with 14 firearms without being questioned or accosted??? & while you at performing arse covering stories for that activity, explain to us all WHO authorised the payment of $250,000 to the thief( thieves) to get 11 of the firearms returned 3x STILL missing )???
Are you suggesting that the police in PN don’t know who stole the firearms???? Who did the money go to???? FOLLOW the money. Has anyone been prosecuted??? Why has this occurrence been kept so low profile with almost no public disclosure????
You normally have a lot to say against law abiding LICENSED firearm owners, lets hear you explain this incident away. I’m all ears. Waiting.
ALL Responsible owners and users of firearms want sensible, fair and reasonable regulations to protect themselves as well as others from harm.
Fair and reasonable legislation will be willingly complied with and supported.
Labour’s legislation exploited a horrible tragedy to discriminate against, what I often heard members of that party call, “those horrible gun people”.
It was not fair and reasonable legislation.
It was HATE LEGISLATION against a large group of citizens that had done nothing wrong and were not suspected of doing anything wrong.
Confiscating legally owned property from law abiding people, without any evidence of wrongdoing or intent to cause any harm, was unjust and a violation of Natural Law.
Calling the confiscation a “buyback” was blatantly dishonest.
What was achieved by this confiscation and the millions of wasted tax dollars?
It definitely did not make us safer and there are probably more of these now illegal firearms hidden away than anyone wants to believe.
Where will these illegal firearms end up?
Definitely not owned and safely used by responsible LFOs.
Ranges and clubs all prioritize safety over everything else.
They are a controlled environment where people can enjoy their sport without being endangered or endangering anyone else.
The voluntary officials of these organizations deserve praise and encouragement for their efforts instead of disrespect and discouragement by government busybodies that do not understand what they are messing with.
Forcing people to register their personal property against their will serves no useful purpose and provides no benefit for the costs incurred.
Some people will comply, others will partly comply and the rest will not comply.
There is no way of achieving the registration of all the firearms in New Zealand, especially when so many people regard the register as a “set-up” for future confiscation of their property.
The imposition of this registration will increase the risk of illegal ownership of firearms and the growth of a “black market” that no responsible citizens want.
Nicole McKee understands firearms and the responsible LFOs that comply with mutually beneficial regulations.
Nicole understand that discrimination and coercion only promote non-compliance with unjust legislation.
She understands that fair and reasonable legislation encourages more people to comply and cooperate with the police, so that we are all protected from crimes involving firearms.
Nicole’s proposals are rational, fair and reasonable ones that will promote trust, compliance and cooperation to prevent dangerous people from misusing guns.
Labour’s legislation was imposed to BULLY people and force them to comply against their will. It resulted in more violent crime.
Nicole wants to encourage willing compliance and cooperation for our mutual benefit.
It will be much more respectful, and successful.
The “haters” are determined to prohibit the legal ownership and use of firearms by any means possible and will not accept Nicole’s proposals.
We ordinary people can influence the outcome if we care to.
We can all support Nicole’s proposals by joining the ACT party and letting the officials of the other parties (especially National) know that we have done so.
None of the political parties have as many members as they pretend to have so supporting ACT will definitely help us achieve firearms regulations that will encourage all owners of firearms to comply and cooperate for a safer New Zealand.
Chris Cahill does the police no favours by spreading mis-information to further his zealous anti firearms agenda. It is time for him to step down.
Law abiding citizens keep being punished for crimes they don’t commit
On this topic and many MANY others NZ needs to stop being overrun by minority groups. Kiwis need to stand up and have a voice instead of being the meek apathetic community we have been the past few decades that has enabled career politicians and the likes to overrun and dictate every nook and cranny of our lives.
Enough is enough. Guns have been a part of our nation for over a hundred years with few incidrnts. It is the namby dictators enabling and creating a weaker society. That is the problem.
The moment a gun hops up out of its box and hurts a human all on its own is the day I will gladly hand all mine in as I would have been proven wrong. Until then it’s target, bottle, possum, deer, goat, pig shooting with anyone that wants to participate in a past time I enjoy and never had a problem with.
Lots of common sense in the above comments why can’t the lawmakers see this.