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April 12, 2019

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Strict NZ gun laws formally put into effect

Source: AFP | 07:11 UTC+8 April 12, 2019 | Print Edition

New Zealand鈥檚 new gun laws were officially signed into effect yesterday, formally banning military-style semi-automatic weapons less than a month after a white supremacist gunman killed 50 worshippers inside two Christchurch mosques.

Governor General Patsy Reddy signed the legislation late yesterday.

The new rules are aimed at removing semi-automatic firearms from circulation through a buy-back scheme, prohibition and very harsh prison sentences.

They prohibit 鈥渟emi-automatic firearms, magazines, and parts that can be used to assemble prohibited firearms.鈥

New Zealand police began preparations for the mass buy-back scheme, advising the amnesty is now in place for the newly prohibited weapons.

鈥淲e are committed to working in partnership with our firearms community across New Zealand to make this transition to the new laws as easy as possible for everybody,鈥 Deputy Commissioner Michael Clement said.

Authorities have made a list of affected firearms and have asked gun owners to contact police if they now find themselves in possession of a prohibited guns, with the buy-back details still to be finalized.

鈥淲e ask for people to be patient while we work through development of robust processes around large-scale collection of firearms, exemption processes and developing a buy-back scheme,鈥 Clement said.

The hand-in amnesty will be in place for six months and protects firearms holders with 鈥済ood intent,鈥 Clement added.

But those who break the new laws will face between two and 10 years in jail.

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