Feds has previously opposed the compulsory registration of all firearms based on the complexity and cost of the process, questionable safety benefits and the likelihood of success.
“We haven’t had a firearms register in New Zealand for almost 40 years.
“The successful re-establishment of one now would require a considerable investment, both economically and socially,” Anderson said.
He cited Canada, where a register was initiated in the 1990s.
“After a lot of money and quite a few years it was abandoned when it was clearly obvious that only law-abiding people were complying and the bulk of misuse of firearms cases involved unregistered guns and unlicensed users.”
The money tagged for a firearms register would be better spent on upping rural police resources and improved practice for issuing licences in the first place, he said.
“We have serious misgivings over a waste of money and resources on something that’s flawed from the start.
“We are so under-resourced in rural policing it makes more sense to work on what can be a more practical and viable solution in the use of taxpayer money.
The second round of proposals features a range of tighter controls. Some will get the Feds’ support.
“When firearms are used irresponsibly or illegally in NZ it is often farmers who suffer the consequences through the theft of livestock, poaching of wild animals or the risks of dangerous behaviour.
“Hopefully, some of these proposed changes will help to prevent that,” he said.
“We are very interested in how the police propose to practically manage common activities such as the loaning of firearms between two licensed individuals.”
Federated Farmers will consult members on the amendments before submitting.
“We are pleased to see that this time there is a reasonable consultation period, unlike the first tranche of the law change that was not conducive to good democracy.
“This is a very important issue for farmers and we need to get it right.”
Anderson said Feds is still lobbying over concerns about some of the earlier amendments to the Arms Act.
Since the initial changes in April the pest management criteria has been proved not to work for farmers and land managers who still need semi-automatic centre fire rifles.
“Pest animals can be found in very high numbers on some private land and the right tool is needed to control them humanely and effectively.
“Continued access to these firearms under strict controls is essential for both our primary industries and indigenous biodiversity.
“The pests are the winners and the environment the loser with landowners severely disadvantaged when it comes to the control of a number of serious pests including wallabies, deer, pigs, goats and Canada geese.”
While the Conversation Department and regional councils have been granted exemptions, some pest control operators are finding it difficult to get exemptions and the suggestion of farmers banding together to form a pest control group is no happening.
“We are still lobbying for exemption for those with genuine need for pest control and we will use the second round of consultation to revisit this important issue with the select committee.”
Legislation will be introduced in late August with three months for public feedback.
