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| Christchurch shootings: What are New Zealand's gun laws? | Christchurch shootings: What are New Zealand's gun laws? |
| (3 days later) | |
| New Zealand is likely to reform its gun laws after 50 people were killed in a mass shooting at two mosques in Christchurch. | |
| In 2016 New Zealand Police estimated that there were 1.2 million legal firearms owned by civilians - that equates to around one for every four people. | In 2016 New Zealand Police estimated that there were 1.2 million legal firearms owned by civilians - that equates to around one for every four people. |
| So, what does the law say now? | |
| Gun laws | Gun laws |
| The minimum legal age to own a gun in New Zealand is 16, or 18 for military-style semi-automatic weapons. Anyone over those ages who is considered by police to be "fit and proper" can possess a firearm. | The minimum legal age to own a gun in New Zealand is 16, or 18 for military-style semi-automatic weapons. Anyone over those ages who is considered by police to be "fit and proper" can possess a firearm. |
| All gun-owners must have a licence, but most individual weapons don't have to be registered. New Zealand is one of the few countries where this is the case. | All gun-owners must have a licence, but most individual weapons don't have to be registered. New Zealand is one of the few countries where this is the case. |
| In order to own a gun legally, applicants for a firearm licence must pass a background check of criminal and medical records. Factors like mental health, addiction and domestic violence should be considered. | In order to own a gun legally, applicants for a firearm licence must pass a background check of criminal and medical records. Factors like mental health, addiction and domestic violence should be considered. |
| Once a licence has been issued, gun-owners can buy as many weapons as they want. | Once a licence has been issued, gun-owners can buy as many weapons as they want. |
| Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the suspect had a gun licence, obtained in November 2017, and owned five guns. | |
| 'No record' | |
| While most guns don't have to be registered, a special application does have to be made to police to own military-style semi-automatic weapons, pistols, or other restricted firearms. | While most guns don't have to be registered, a special application does have to be made to police to own military-style semi-automatic weapons, pistols, or other restricted firearms. |
| Because of this, police say they can't be sure how many legally owned firearms there are in the country as there is "no record of the majority of firearms". | Because of this, police say they can't be sure how many legally owned firearms there are in the country as there is "no record of the majority of firearms". |
| As of June 2018, there were 246,952 active firearms licences including dealers and individual owners. | As of June 2018, there were 246,952 active firearms licences including dealers and individual owners. |
| The year before, of the 43,509 who people applied for firearms licences, 43,321 were granted them. | The year before, of the 43,509 who people applied for firearms licences, 43,321 were granted them. |
| Until the mosque attacks, New Zealand's worst mass shooting was in 1990 in the small seaside town of Aramoana on the South Island, in which 13 people were killed. | Until the mosque attacks, New Zealand's worst mass shooting was in 1990 in the small seaside town of Aramoana on the South Island, in which 13 people were killed. |
| That shooting prompted an amendment to the the Arms Act (1983), the main law governing gun use and ownership, restricting the ownership of military-style semi-automatic weapons. But parliament stopped short of a total ban. | That shooting prompted an amendment to the the Arms Act (1983), the main law governing gun use and ownership, restricting the ownership of military-style semi-automatic weapons. But parliament stopped short of a total ban. |
| The law was further amended in 2012 to clarify which weapons are restricted. | The law was further amended in 2012 to clarify which weapons are restricted. |
| Guns and crime | Guns and crime |
| In a response to an official request for information last year, New Zealand Police published figures showing that 859 restricted-category firearms were seized by police between 2008 and 2017. | In a response to an official request for information last year, New Zealand Police published figures showing that 859 restricted-category firearms were seized by police between 2008 and 2017. |
| During the same period, 12,688 firearms of all types were seized. | During the same period, 12,688 firearms of all types were seized. |
| Police figures show that in the decade to 2017-18, there were 28 homicides involving a firearm where the offender had a current firearms licence, and 126 homicides where the offender had never held a firearms licence. | Police figures show that in the decade to 2017-18, there were 28 homicides involving a firearm where the offender had a current firearms licence, and 126 homicides where the offender had never held a firearms licence. |
| Read more from Reality Check | Read more from Reality Check |
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