Opinion by John McNab
The long awaited 792-page report by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the terrorist attack at a Christchurch mosque on March 15, 2019 have been finally released.
But it didn’t make sense to me. relating to the granting of a firearm licence to the Australian Brenton Tarrant who committed the atrocity.
Among the key points were:-
- Police “did not meet required standards” in their checks and processes in granting him a firearms licence.
- Despite these findings, the report says nothing could have been done to stop the March 15,
2019 attacks, which left 51 Muslims dead, and the agencies were not to blame.
Yet Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Police Commissioner apologised for the failings.
Am I missing something?
It seems to me giving Tarrant a firearms licence enabled him “to plot, amass an arsenal of
weapons and execute his deadly attack.”
But then the prime minister and police said nothing could have been done to stop the
March 15, 2019, attacks.
If that was true why are the PM and police apologising?
The report apparently stated the murders were not the result of failures by public sector
agencies. But didn’t the report say the police -“a public sector agency “-“ failed to meet
the required standards in giving Tarrant a firearm licence.”
If he had failed to get a firearm licence could he have amassed his arsenal?
Apparently the report found “insufficient attention” was given by police over the referees
for Tarrant’s licence. One of the killer’s on-line gaming friends allegedly was aware
of Tarrant’s racist views.
The irregularities in Tarrant’s application should have prompted police to investigate
further. Allegedly Tarrant was under watch by Australian security.
It seems the report is a jumble of contradictions.
Or am I missing something?
Let us hope the media (newspapers, television and radio) can ask some hard questions.
Strikes me John McNab is being far too kind.
This episode smacks more of Car 54 and Keystone Kops than a professional Police Force. And where were the SIS in this?
Tarrant was apparently on an Ozzie watchlist, which means Godzone finest would have been advised. Added to that a bloke on a watchlist apples for a firearms permit and all sorts of alarm bells should have been raised – instead grant the licence without even meeting his online referee “mates”.
None of this even mentions Jacinda Arden’s role in all this – her direct role in changing the rules allowing Tarrant to apply for a licence online and even from a different city is somehow forgotten.
Heads should role, but I suspect as always, the bureaucrats will cover their collective arses so only the victims will bear the true cost of the outcome.
Then again, these politicians and bureaucrats have had a wonderful time exploiting their grief pursuing UN Agenda 21 and 30 by disarming the populace – shame they aren’t able to get at the gangs – perhaps we should now look to them more favourably as the one shining light!
John and Charles are far too kind. Why is some of the report being held back, because the PM knows that she has something to hide —why else. The SIS knew about Tarrant that I do know and they informed the SAS who went down there on the pretense to train the police —-come on . The report should have the blood at the PM feet as she signed it off to enable to go on line. She was at that meeting and I would like to know who else was, as someone will talk. This is too much like Bryant’s act in Aussie . To change a mag at the right time although sounds easy it isn’t and both Bryant and Tarrant never fired a dead shell. You never saw on the video him pulling the trigger with no shell in the chamber. If Tarrant would talk I would not be surprised if he said he was set up. I have never heard the Policeperson’s name who was responsible and I think all LFO have a right to know. The police never did any wrong they were working under the rules which had been relaxed, so where does the buck stop. It is time a vote of no confidence was presented to the Government as the c19 was a hoax which has cost us dearly and now this climate emergency, not to mention Agenda 21/30. This is what happens when you get a school girl running the country .
The toothy bimbo always wanted the people disarmed, just like any communist. On her orders the police slacked off. Tarrant obtained a licence. The shooting happened. The bimbo set about disarmament of the law abiding population as she always wanted to do. Pretty much a repeat of Port Arthur. There, however, a patsy is in prison for life. Is Tarrant a patsy? I suspect not. That part of the story differs from Port Arthur. How and why we need to know.
Looks like they want a gun register which I think is reasonable so that gangs caught with unregistered guns are dealt to.
Also our confiscated guns should be returned or compensated seeing it is one mad person….
$35 million proposed to muslims is therefore wrong.
Charles Henry’s photo of Keystone Cops says it all. Is that Police Association president Chris Cahill on the phone?
Yes, very strange – nothing we could do but abjectly apologise anyway. I’ll go with benefit of the doubt and submit that Cindy sees an apology as a way to diffuse anger in the Muslim community. The person that seems to have escaped opprobrium is the father of the online friend, apparently HE vouched for the terrorist. How does that work?
What confused handling by the Prime Minister and the police. Of course the murders could have been prevented if the police vetting Tarrant’s application had acted competently, declined it and because pf oddities sought details of Tarrant from Australian authorities.