Copyright 1996-2002, Council of Licensed Firearms Owners.

Council of Licensed Firearms Owners
Date: 8 October 2000

The Government’s plan to impose tougher penalties on crimes involving firearms have been welcomed by the largest firearms owners organisation, the New Zealand Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO).

Council president Michael Reeves President said COLFO had made submissions to the Police and several Ministers on this point.

"We are delighted that at last we may have laws that focus on the criminal misuse of firearms, at present the theft of a firearm is no more serious than stealing a chocolate bar."

The spokesman for COLFO, Mr Michael Reeves, also supported the decision not to have a buy back of Military style semi-automatic weapons, saying they were already tightly controlled and were not a problem.

However the council strongly opposed both registration of firearms, and the establishment of an independent firearms authority.

"Registration is idealistic feel-good politics that has failed in Canada, and will cost our community at least $75million real money," Mr Reeves said.

"With no benefit to our community this was very expensive appeasement of anti gun groups who choose not to focus our limited dollars on the cause of the perceived problem, being mainly the criminal misuse, and to a small extent the misuse by high profile mentally ill this all contributes to the perceived problem.

"It is a tax on the law-abiding Licensed firearms owner and the only outcome will be a blackmarket in unregistered weapons amongst criminals."

COLFO says the Police are the only people who should be in control of firearms laws, and any independent authority would be both opposed and mistrusted.

"Only the police have the integrity and trust to gain and hold the large amount of personal information involved in issuing the public with firearms licences," Mr Reeves said.

"They interview our family and partners, and come into our homes. The details they gain must be kept confidential or there will be not co-operation. Security of information was already of concern."

ENDS.

Read COLFO policies or email info@colfo.org.nz for more information.