New Zealand passes gun law reform in wake of Christchurch attack
Al JazeeraAuckland, New Zealand – New Zealand’s parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favour of legislation to ban semi-automatic and military-style weapons. ‘The first step’ Police Minister Stuart Nash said the new law is “just the first step of many to make our country safer”. The bill still needs to be granted Royal Assent by the governor-general of New Zealand, seen as a formality, and is expected to officially pass into law on Friday, exactly four weeks after the attacks. The president of the Islamic Association of New Zealand, Mustafa Farouk, said the speed with which the legislation was passed was necessary to honour the victims of the country’s worst-ever attack. Other countries can borrow a leaf from New Zealand regarding how to create a cross-party agreement and expedite passing such legislations.” New Zealand has around 250,000 licenced firearm owners, many of them farmers who use weapons to help eradicate pests.