special report
Last week Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee, successfully guided her bill to keep firearms out of the hands of gang members and other serious violent offenders,
“The Bill expands the crimes for which a Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) can be made, stopping violent criminals from possessing firearms that can be used to peddle further violence and misery in our communities,” said Nicole McKee. “It will also give police more powers to search people subject to an FPO to ensure they are complying with the order.”
Labour Opposed it
In its passage through Parliament, the Labour and Green Parties opposed the bill while Te Pati Maori Party were absent.
“It’s clear that those parties don’t sit on the side of victims of crime,” commented the Associate Minister of Justice. “The previous Labour Government cosied up to the gangs, spending millions of taxpayer dollars on section 27 cultural reports to give criminals lighter sentences.”
The coalition government is also reintroducing the Three Strikes regime to ensure the most dangerous violent offenders are locked behind bars, preventing them from terrorising communities, for longer.
Nicole McKee – Reintroducing ’Three Strikes”
As Minister for Courts, the Associate Minister McKee said she had sided with victims to make it easier for them to attend court proceedings remotely using audiovisual technology with another law passed last week.
Victims Helped
“The change means victims will no longer have to go through the trauma of sitting in the same room as the perpetrators. They also won’t be forced to keep paying for the crimes of others through the costs of travelling to attend court in person,” she said. “The court system faces significant backlogs, partly as a result of Labour’s soft-on-crime approach that saw offending skyrocket.”
“These delays force victims to wait longer to see justice served. Justice delayed is justice denied. My Bill also helps to address this issue,” said Nicole McKee .
Firearms are being illegally used by gangs to intimidate, to use in shootings and to carry out violent crime in support of their profits from drug peddling. Labour did nothing, in fact the opposite by targeting law abiding firearm-owning citizens. At last a government which targets criminals and a Minister like Nicole McKee who understands and acts. in the public interest.
There has been a 50 per cent plus increase in gang membership since Labour first took office back in 2017. When I see/hear Labour’s leader bleating, I think how hypocritical can a person be.
Labour blundered in their panicked law following the March 15, 2019, Mosque tragedy.
Instead of asking questions to find how the Australian shooter was given a firearm licence they rammed rushed law through. It was bad law that hit at the law abiding public and left gangs alone.
I have mixed feelings about this because the Arms Act (1983) states unequivocally that only those licensed for firearms can (and those without a firearm licence may not) have them, so this new law is redundant (Arms Act 1983 Sections 20 & 43 apply). However, if the Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms) believes it is necessary, I cannot legally argue against it!
It’s funny that Labour and Ginny Anderson only care about police overreach when it’s criminals being affected and not licensed firearm owners. This is a great step.
I support what Nicole McKee is trying to do here but I have doubts that it will actually work. Unlicenced people are already prohibited from owning firearms and since gang members often show their contempt for the laws of the land I feel that this is just another one they will ignore or circumvent. The additional powers that the new law grants the police may seem like a good idea but the way things are going in general leads me to fear that any new powers given to the police may end up being abused as the police can no longer be trusted by the general public, sad but true.
Thanks to Nicole McKee for addressing the facts instead of discriminating against innocent citizens as Labour did.
There are probably more illegally owned firearms out there than people in government will admit.
Fortunately, most Kiwis are peaceful and decent people that dislike violence.
Nicole understands the culture of law abiding firearm owners and her emphasis is on trying to disarm potential violent criminals while also promoting firearms safety.
Responsible gun owners will appreciate and support Nicole’s proposals because safety is also their main concern.
The way to help is to show support for Nicole and ACT by joining and becoming supportive members.
Good to have someone with a few clues and a bit of common sense.