Commonsense prevails on firearms recommendations

Federated Farmers is pleased to see that Police Minister Paula Bennett has listened to the concerns of the rural community on the Parliamentary Select Committee report into the illegal possession of firearms. 
Minister Bennett rejected 12 of the 20 recommendations made by the committee that would have significantly impacted on licensed firearms owners- but done little to stop firearms getting into the hands of criminals.
“Federated Farmers spoke out against the Select Committee report, highlighting that the farming community is frustrated with poorly thought out solutions to real problems that simply burden law abiding citizens,” says Federated Farmers’ National Board Member Katie Milne.
“We are pleased to see that the Government has listened and is directing their attention to where it should be, preventing gang members and criminals from getting their hands on firearms and not burdening those who use firearms responsibly.”
The Minister’s recommendations align with Federated Farmers position on the Select Committee report and commit to compulsory consultation on any changes to the Arms Act. 
Federated Farmers will continue to be involved in the review process to ensure that the final outcome is practical for those in the farming community.