11/11/2025
Today I announced the major policy changes in the new Arms Act.
The new law will improve public safety by keeping fi****ms out of criminals and gangs' hands while also making compliance much easier for licenced firearm owners.
I didn't get everything I wanted but I'd say I got around 95%, with ACT agreeing to disagree with our coalition partners on the fi****ms registry and access to restricted fi****ms for sports shooters.
There are some significant wins here for the licenced firearm community. I thought for my first post I'll paste the full list of changes below, let me know if you have any questions.
๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ ๐ข๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐
- Creating an independent Fi****ms Licencing Review Committee including representative of the fi****ms community to hear appeals on licencing decisions.
- Allowing the regulator to issue fi****ms licence extensions for up to three years to improve processing times.
- Create an urgent licence renewal process, similar to passports, for international travel.
- Allow overseas shooters to obtain multi-entry licences to allow them to enter New Zealand multiple times within a 12-month period.
- Allow fi****ms to be stored at any location approved by the regulator, not just your primary residence.
- Clarify product definitions and exempt low-risk items.
- Require permits to possess to be obtained before starting to manufacture arms items.
- Fi****ms or parts manufactured by someone for their own personal use may only be sold through licenced businesses. Other fi****ms and parts can be bought and sold as normal, including privately.
- Require the regulator to consult directly with the fi****ms community and enable them to publish guidance on their website.
- Review fees every five years and creating a tiered fee structure that allows services that provide greater public benefit to recover a smaller portion of costs.
- Remove the ability for the regulator to record information in the registry beyond what is explicitly required by regulations.
๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐:
- Endorsements issued to pest controllers will be extended to five years with a mid-term check in to confirm that their circumstances havenโt changed.
- Allow specified employees of biosecurity and pest control organisations to share prohibited fi****ms without triggering permit-to-possess or registry updates for each short-term transfer.
- Allow greater flexibility for collectorsโ storage of vital parts for prohibited fi****ms.
- Rename the โdealerโs licenceโ to โbusiness licenceโ.
- Clarify when a person is โin businessโ to reduce unnecessary licence applications and provide clarity.
- Remove the need for a permit to possess for repairs, conversions, or deactivations by gunsmiths.
- Extend import permit duration for business licence holders to 12 months.
- Extend business licence durations to five years for those with a record of good compliance.
- Remove the requirement for employee endorsements on their personal licences so long as the business licence holder has the endorsement.
- Create museum-specific โcurator licencesโ allowing the public display of arms without disproportionate requirements that are difficult and costly to meet.
- Create museum worker licences for employees who do not wish to own fi****ms, removing the need for staff to have secure storage at home.
- Clarify manufacturing definitions and exclude replacing parts with a like-for-like part from the definition of manufacturing.
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ด๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ
- Require regulator approval for commercial ammunition sellers.
- Establish a new firearm regulatory agency led by an independent chief executive.
- Create a formalised โred flagโ system so other agencies can alert the regulator of information that raises concerns about a personโs โfit and properโ status.
- Clarify information sharing powers between the regulator and the police.
๐ฃ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐:
- The purpose of the legislation will be expanded to include all actors in the system, not just LFOs.
- Gang members are automatically disqualified from holding a fi****ms licence.
- Infringement notices and temporary suspensions will be enabled for low-level non-compliance, rather than revocation.
- Health-related licence suspensions can be in place for up to 12 months, because three months is often not enough time to obtain medical reports or implement mitigations.
- Blank-firing guns that are able to be converted into functional fi****ms will be regulated, although those that already hold them without a licence may keep them.
- High-capacity pistol magazines will be restricted to endorsed licence holders.
- Business licence holders will be required to notify police of all surrendered arms items.
- Creating a pathway to lawful ownership for currently prohibited fi****ms through conversion or deactivation for those affected by the 2019-2020 law changes.
- New offences created to future-proof the law and prevent diversion to criminals.
- Blueprints for 3D printed fi****ms can only be held by LFOs.
- Updating penalties, especially for those committed by people who do not hold a fi****ms licence.g privley
