At the time, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had pledged to change the gun laws.
In some quarters the rural advocacy organisation has a reputation for being protectionist and reactionary, but its first response to a potential gun law change felt even more backwards. Federation Farmers was out of touch with a country in mourning.
Then the government moved quickly, banning military-style semi-automatics and assault rifles. These became illegal on Thursday afternoon.
The same day, Federated Farmers put out a statement that softened its stance somewhat. They had listened to their members. They agreed with the government’s intention to toughen firearms regulations, and the ban.
“This will not be popular among some of our members but after a week of intense debate and careful consideration by our elected representatives and staff, we believe this is the only practicable solution,” Feds Rural Security spokesperson Miles Anderson said.
“We are trying to tread a responsible path. The wrong guns can’t be allowed to get into the wrong hands.”
Good on Feds for changing their tune, because from what I’ve seen farmers support tougher gun control.
Even before the ban, some were surrendering their semi-automatic guns. Masterton farmer John Hart’s decision to voluntarily hand-over his own limited-power semi-automatic rifle went viral on Twitter last week.
“Until today I was one of the New Zealanders who owned a semi-automatic rifle. On the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn’t outweigh the risk of misuse,” he tweeted. “We don’t need these in our country.”
With more than 60,000 likes a few days later, Hart wasn’t alone. So why did Federated Farmers initially take such a defensive stance, saying it didn’t want knee-jerk legislative changes to our gun laws?
A nationwide petition with 70,000 signatures supporting changes to gun laws was also given to politicians last week, but Federated Farmers said of those, firearms licence holders would be in the minority. But would they?
It seems public sentiment supports changes to gun laws to bring them in line with the much stronger laws across the Tasman, where semi-automatics are banned and there is a national gun register.
Until last week I didn’t know much about firearms licences. And in the last week I’ve made up my mind that semi-automatics are a convenience for farmers, not a necessity.
Knowing that someone on my street could have a small arsenal of weapons they’ve legally bought makes me break into a cold sweat. The fact no authorities know where most of the 1.5 million guns in this country are, is staggering.
I’m relieved military-style semi-automatics are now illegal.
But after the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, public sentiment has turned against even the limited power semi-automatic guns. And for good reason.
A few doors down from our house in urban Auckland, we have Muslim neighbours who visit the local mosque every Friday.
They’ve been too afraid to leave their house since the terrorist attacks in Christchurch. The day after, they tended their garden while neighbours popped in to see how they were doing, leaving in tears at the injustice of it all.
