Firearms Amendment Bill

Outdoor Recreation Voices Matter

CORANZ commentalry
By Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ

Submissions are now open on the Government’s Firearms Amendment Bill. Much of the public discussion so far has focused on firearms themselves - licensing, controls, and compliance. That is understandable. But from a CORANZ perspective, there is a wider and equally important dimension that must not be lost: what this legislation means for lawful outdoor recreation, conservation work, and access to public land.

To make a submission, visit the Parliamentary Website at https://www3.parliament.nz/ or follow this link here

CORANZ is supporting the work being undertaken by the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO), and encouraging its member organisations to engage with the submissions process.

COLFO is the appropriate lead voice on the technical detail of firearms law. It represents licensed users, understands the operational implications of regulation, and is already analysing the bill clause by clause. CORANZ does not seek to duplicate that work. Instead, our role is to ensure that the broader recreation and access implications are properly recognised.

Hunting is not a fringe activity in New Zealand. It is a long-established form of outdoor recreation that takes place largely on public land, and it plays a significant role in conservation and biosecurity outcomes. Recreational hunters contribute thousands of unpaid hours each year controlling pest species, gathering data, assisting with recovery operations, and maintaining a presence in remote areas that would otherwise be unmanaged.

Any change to firearms legislation that affects lawful hunting therefore has consequences well beyond individual licence holders.

One of the recurring concerns CORANZ sees across many policy areas is the gradual erosion of trust in competent, lawful users of the outdoors. Whether the issue is access to rivers, tracks, forests or coastlines, the pattern is familiar: a problem is identified, restrictions are tightened, and responsibility shifts from individuals to systems. Over time, participation becomes harder, not because people are unwilling to comply, but because the cumulative burden discourages engagement.

Firearms legislation can follow the same path if care is not taken.

The question CORANZ believes must be asked is not simply whether a particular amendment increases control, but whether it does so in a way that is proportionate, evidence-based, and mindful of unintended consequences. If regulatory changes discourage lawful recreational hunting, who fills the gap in pest control? If access to firearms becomes more complex or uncertain for compliant users, what happens to conservation effort on public land? If trust between regulators and licence holders is further weakened, does safety actually improve?

These are not abstract concerns. New Zealand’s conservation system already relies heavily on volunteer effort. Recreational hunters are part of that system, whether formally acknowledged or not. Treating them solely as a risk to be managed, rather than as contributors to outcomes, risks undermining both safety and environmental objectives.

CORANZ’s support for COLFO is therefore about coherence. COLFO is addressing the technical questions: how the bill operates, how it aligns with existing law, and whether it achieves its stated aims. CORANZ’s interest is in ensuring that decision-makers also hear from those who understand how firearms regulation intersects with outdoor recreation, land access, and conservation practice.

It is also important to be clear about what this is not. Supporting COLFO does not mean opposing sensible regulation. It does not mean downplaying the importance of firearms safety. Lawful users overwhelmingly support strong licensing standards and responsible ownership. The issue is not whether regulation exists, but how it is designed and what it assumes about the people subject to it.

A recurring theme in CORANZ’s work is that competence matters. Systems that recognise and support competence tend to produce better outcomes than those that rely solely on restriction. In outdoor recreation, capable users are an asset. In hunting, trained, licensed and experienced firearms users are an asset. Legislation that fails to distinguish clearly between lawful use and misuse risks flattening that reality.

Submissions are the opportunity to ensure that nuance is not lost.

CORANZ encourages its member organisations - whether directly involved in hunting or not - to consider the implications of this bill for outdoor recreation more broadly. Firearms policy does not exist in isolation. It affects who participates, how land is managed, and how conservation goals are achieved. Those connections deserve to be on the record.

We also encourage members and individuals to read and support COLFO’s submission. Alignment matters. Fragmented or conflicting messages weaken the overall case. A clear, consistent voice that recognises both safety and the value of lawful recreational activity is far more likely to be heard.

This bill will shape the operating environment for years to come. It deserves careful scrutiny, not just from those who own firearms, but from those who understand how outdoor recreation actually functions on the ground.

CORANZ will continue to advocate for policies that recognise competence, support participation, and protect access to the outdoors - including activities that rely on lawful, responsible firearms use. Supporting COLFO in this process is part of that responsibility.

Submissions are open. This is the moment to engage - constructively, carefully, and with an eye to the wider consequences.