Welcome

Welcome to the website of the New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc (COLFO)

Dear COLFO member,

NZ ELECTIONS 2008 (November 5th 2008)

In recent days firearms owners have been contacting COLFO for advice on how to vote in the current election. 

COLFO's policy is to endorse MPs and Parties based on firearms related policies and not other matters. 

It appears that Labour and National have made the 2008 election into a two party race but the shape of the new government could be decided by their Coalition partners.  In effect, the tail may have the teeth! 

We have enjoyed 25 years of largely commonsense and practical gun laws and many gun owners are unaware of how those laws came into being.  However there will be considerable changes during the next few years and, if we are to retain our rights and privileges, it is important we support parties with a history of commonsense firearms policies.  Those parties include: Labour, National, ACT, NZ First, and United New Zealand.

Neither the Greens nor the Progressive Party are on that list because both have track records of promoting ideology-based firearm policies and as recently as September were calling for things like 'universal registration' a 'ban on semi-automatic firearms and 'five year firearm licenses'. These are 'bureaucratic job creation policies' that will inevitably increase firearms-related crime.

Based on pre-election statements and comments from party leaders we have to accept that coalition groupings will almost certainly be:

• Labour - with Greens, Progressive and NZ First (if they pass the threshold)   
• National - with Act, and United New Zealand .

Maori are having a dollar each way and will decide after the election. 

Given the above information it seems that responsible firearms-users should maximise their voting power by;

• Casting their electorate vote for a local MP whose party will coalesce with the parties who have a history of supporting sensible firearms laws.
• Casting their party vote for a minor party who will coalesce with a major party with a history of supporting sensible firearms laws. 

John Howat
Chair
NZ Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc. 
 

The ATT resolution  A/C.1/63/L.39* has passed the UN General Assembly First Committee.  The US was one of two no votes.  Some interesting countries abstained: Russia , China , Israel , Pakistan and India , among others.  Please find a link to the article below

__________________________________________________________________________________________

 The Age - Melbourne-Victoria , Australia
http://news.theage.com.au/world/un-panel-backs-call-for-standards-in-arms-trade-20081101-5fna.html

The following report has been released by governmental representatives at the United Nations for consultation. It is part of the combined government’s initiatives to limit illegal trafficking in arms. COLFO will be reviewing this report and lobbying in relation to any issues we find that will restrict the rights of legitimate firearms owners.

COLFO has developed sensible policies to promote the safe usage of firearms, please see our policies page as we have (which includes details on our air gun policy, position paper #10)

Created in 1996 by a meeting of existing firearms user organisations COLFO is New Zealand's largest voluntary firearms user organisation. Follow the links for information about us, our membership, objects, policies and positions, reports, projects, media releases, United Nations.

Click here to go directly to our Political Page

Please check this page again in the near future as we update it with Political Party information regularly.

"COLFO exists to protect the rights and privileges of responsible New Zealand firearms owners and users.

To be effective we must be able applaud MPs, political parties, candidates and policies, but the Electoral Finance Act constricts that right. However, the upcoming election will be the 5th we have faced and we will continue to use all of the tools available to us to ensure that the rights of our members and supporters remain undiminished. We shall continue to criticise or applaud policies that are firearms related, and we shall continue to criticise or applaud individual MPs and parties on the basis of their policies"

I also encourage you to keep an eye on the COLFO web site over the coming weeks as we move into election mode. It is in development at this stage.

John Howat

Chairman NZ Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc.

UPDATED (29/08/08)

Check the Library or Positions papers page recently updated with the latest 3 ratified at the last COLFO AGM

COLFO has been recognised by the United Nations as a Non Government Agency (NGO) in Roster Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations which will allow COLFO the recognition to work in the wider Pacific Region in relation to areas of gun control and trafficking of illegal firearms. This recognition expands the ability of COLFO to have input into issues of importance to firearms owners at an internationally recognized level.