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| New Zealand mosque attack: Ardern says cabinet has agreed gun reform 'in principle' – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| My colleague Helen Davidson has this story of the police officers who arrested the Christchurch shooting suspect. The officers, who were visiting from a rural Canterbury station have been praised as heroes for their actions. | |
| The pair, who were in the city for a training session on dealing with armed offenders, represented the professionalism of the police force, said Chris Cahill, the president of the New Zealand Police Association. “The ability to make quick decisions to go forward and act made all police officers in New Zealand and around the world incredibly proud,” he said. | |
| Police commissioner Mike Bush, said on Sunday the suspect was “non compliant”, and the officers – who remained unidentified – “had to use some force and tactical options”. “They put themselves in harm’s way to stop any further attack and I do believe they did prevent further attacks.” | |
| 'Incredibly proud': rural police who arrested Christchurch suspect hailed heroes | |
| Cabinet has agreed to “in principle decision” about reforming New Zealand’s gun laws, but Jacinda Ardern has not announced details of what these changes will be, saying that details would be announced within 10 days of Friday’s attack in which at least 50 people were killed. | |
| Ardern was expected to announce details of the proposed changes. Prior to the meeting Ardern said options included a ban on semi-automatic rifles/ | |
| When asked about the delay, Ardern said: “There’s details to work through... These aren’t simple areas of law. So that’s simply what we’ll be taking the time to get right.” | |
| Ardern defended her government, saying that after the Port Arthur massacre in Australia, the government of Australia took 12 days to make a decision around tightening gun laws, and New Zealand had made an “in principle” decision in 72 hours. | |
| Ardern said the decision was backed by all of cabinet, including the NZ First party, led by Winston Peters, which are in a power-sharing arrangement, with Ardern saying “we are of one mind”. Peters’ party has previously opposed attempts to reform gun laws, but Peters said that after 1pm last Friday: “Our world changed forever and so will some of our laws.” | |
| Jacinda Ardern said that she had heard some reports of people handing in their guns to police and encouraged others to follow their lead. Asked about reports of people “panic-buying” weapons, Ardern said these were anecdotal and she would warn anyone considering buying a gun to “wait a few days” to hear the new laws, before making such an investment. | |
| Ardern said the government would also launch an inquiry into the events leading up to the shootings, including the alleged gunman’s travel and social media use. | |
| Ardern said that she had been given reassurances by intelligence services that all concerns voiced by Muslim citizens had been taken seriously and leads had been followed up, but that it wasn’t enough to pass on these reassurances, hence the inquiry. | |
| Ardern says police are looking into the “patterns of behaviour” that often follow attacks like this one, including retaliatory and copycat attacks. She says for this reason, New Zealand’s threat level will remain at “high”. | |
| Does Christchurch have a problem with racism? asks a journalist. | Does Christchurch have a problem with racism? asks a journalist. |
| Ardern says she wants to reiterate the comments of Winston Peters and remind people: “In this case, the primary suspect here, the person who was arrested was not a citizen of New Zealand.” | Ardern says she wants to reiterate the comments of Winston Peters and remind people: “In this case, the primary suspect here, the person who was arrested was not a citizen of New Zealand.” |
| But she continues: “That is not to say that there are not those who live in New Zealand who have values and ideas and use language that is counter to what the vast majority of New Zealanders believe. We cannot ignore that. If we are to ensure the safety of Muslims and others, the 200 ethnicities in New Zealand, we have to be alive to the fact there are those who do not share our values of openness.” | But she continues: “That is not to say that there are not those who live in New Zealand who have values and ideas and use language that is counter to what the vast majority of New Zealanders believe. We cannot ignore that. If we are to ensure the safety of Muslims and others, the 200 ethnicities in New Zealand, we have to be alive to the fact there are those who do not share our values of openness.” |
| A journalist says that Muslim leaders have said they have felt threatened for years and have had their threats ignored. | A journalist says that Muslim leaders have said they have felt threatened for years and have had their threats ignored. |
| Jacinda Ardern says that she is aware of these reports, that she has been told by intelligence services that every lead given to authorities has been followed up on. However, Ardern says that it is not enough for her to simply pass on the reassurances of agencies and that is why there will be an inquiry into what led up to the attack. | Jacinda Ardern says that she is aware of these reports, that she has been told by intelligence services that every lead given to authorities has been followed up on. However, Ardern says that it is not enough for her to simply pass on the reassurances of agencies and that is why there will be an inquiry into what led up to the attack. |
| Winston Peters has been asked about the use of the video live-stream of the attack by Turkish authorities. | Winston Peters has been asked about the use of the video live-stream of the attack by Turkish authorities. |
| Peters said he had made it clear to Turkish leaders that New Zealand would take it very seriously if there was any suggestion that New Zealand condoned the attack. He says the attack was perpetrated by someone who is not a New Zealander and that New Zealand condemns terrorism in any form. | Peters said he had made it clear to Turkish leaders that New Zealand would take it very seriously if there was any suggestion that New Zealand condoned the attack. He says the attack was perpetrated by someone who is not a New Zealander and that New Zealand condemns terrorism in any form. |
| “We did not start or bring about this disaster,” he said. | “We did not start or bring about this disaster,” he said. |
| Ardern has been asked about reports that people have been “panic-buying” guns. Ardern says she has only heard anecdotal accounts of this and warns anyone considering buying a gun to wait a few days to get some certainty around the laws before investing. | Ardern has been asked about reports that people have been “panic-buying” guns. Ardern says she has only heard anecdotal accounts of this and warns anyone considering buying a gun to wait a few days to get some certainty around the laws before investing. |
| Ardern says that Facebook and Instagram are continuing to remove any replicas of the video of the attack. But she says the fact the video was shared 1.5million times, shows there is scope to “take a very direct approach to speech that incites violence or that incites hate”. | Ardern says that Facebook and Instagram are continuing to remove any replicas of the video of the attack. But she says the fact the video was shared 1.5million times, shows there is scope to “take a very direct approach to speech that incites violence or that incites hate”. |
| “I would call on our social media platforms to demonstrate responsibility... There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.” | “I would call on our social media platforms to demonstrate responsibility... There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.” |
| Ardern says they are looking into the “patterns of behaviour” that often follow attacks like this one, including retaliatory and copycat attacks. | Ardern says they are looking into the “patterns of behaviour” that often follow attacks like this one, including retaliatory and copycat attacks. |
| She says for this reason, New Zealand’s threat level will remain at “high”. | She says for this reason, New Zealand’s threat level will remain at “high”. |
| Ardern says police and intelligence are taking a careful approach. | Ardern says police and intelligence are taking a careful approach. |
| Ardern is being asked if this decision was supported by NZ First party, led by Winston Peters, who is the deputy prime minister and is standing next to Jacinda Ardern at the press conference. | Ardern is being asked if this decision was supported by NZ First party, led by Winston Peters, who is the deputy prime minister and is standing next to Jacinda Ardern at the press conference. |
| Peters says that his party has previously not supported recommendations to restrict gun laws, but that after 1pm last Friday: “Our world changed forever and so will some of our laws.” | Peters says that his party has previously not supported recommendations to restrict gun laws, but that after 1pm last Friday: “Our world changed forever and so will some of our laws.” |
| Ardern has been asked for more detail about the changes to gun laws. She says that the government has, within 72 hours of the attack, agreed to in- principle changes, and now they want to take a moment to make sure they have worked out all the details of the legislation. | Ardern has been asked for more detail about the changes to gun laws. She says that the government has, within 72 hours of the attack, agreed to in- principle changes, and now they want to take a moment to make sure they have worked out all the details of the legislation. |
| Ardern is comparing New Zealand’s response time to the response time of the Australian government in introducing tougher gun laws after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. | Ardern is comparing New Zealand’s response time to the response time of the Australian government in introducing tougher gun laws after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. |
| Ardern says that a heavy police presence will continue to be seen on New Zealand’s streets. This is not about a specific threat, she says, but so as to reassure people and keep them safe. | Ardern says that a heavy police presence will continue to be seen on New Zealand’s streets. This is not about a specific threat, she says, but so as to reassure people and keep them safe. |
| Families who have lost a loved one in the attack can apply for a funeral grant up to $NZ10,000 and there can be additional money for those who want to return their loved ones overseas, says Ardern. | Families who have lost a loved one in the attack can apply for a funeral grant up to $NZ10,000 and there can be additional money for those who want to return their loved ones overseas, says Ardern. |
| Ardern says there will be a review of the events leading up to the attack and the work of the intelligence services, as well as the alleged gunman’s travel leading up to his time in New Zealand and his use of social media. | Ardern says there will be a review of the events leading up to the attack and the work of the intelligence services, as well as the alleged gunman’s travel leading up to his time in New Zealand and his use of social media. |
| The form of the inquiry will be revealed at a later date. | The form of the inquiry will be revealed at a later date. |
| The government has also had preliminary discussions around plans for commemorations of the victims of the two attacks. | The government has also had preliminary discussions around plans for commemorations of the victims of the two attacks. |
| Ardern says the memorial will not be held this week, so that families have an opportunity to grieve together. | Ardern says the memorial will not be held this week, so that families have an opportunity to grieve together. |