Nicole McKee
ACT Firearms Law Reform spokesperson
Relentless pressure from the ACT Party on behalf of law-abiding firearms owners has led to the Government taking action on licencing delays.
There are thousands of people who have been waiting up to a year for their licence to be processed, some are still waiting after two years.
The situation is becoming dangerous. Licenced firearms owners are having to take their guns out of their safes, place them in the boot of their car, and drive all around the country to store them in the safes of other licensed firearms owners to avoid breaking the law.
I have repeatedly asked former Police Minister Poto Williams and current Police Minister Chris Hipkins to take action. Now it seems the Government might finally be listening.
While Hipkins won’t commit to a straight extension, in response to my letter to him raising concerns he said, “I have taken advice on how the Arms Act might be amended to provide the outcome we are both seeking.” He indicated to me in the letter that this will happen before the end of the year.
I’m now calling on the Minister to be upfront with firearms owners about whether he plans to make any other changes to the Arms Act.
Law-abiding firearms owners have been through enough changes, Government needs to be honest and upfront about what it plans to do if it wants to restore confidence in the firearms community.
I welcome the Minister finally addressing this serious and dangerous problem and I’m now calling on him to be transparent and give firearms owners a timeframe of when this important change is coming.”
