New Zealand Announces Firearms Law Changes: A Move to Rebuild TrustNew Zealand has unveiled significant changes to its firearms laws, aiming to ease tensions between gun owners and the regulatory body. The government plans to remove police officers from their current role in overseeing gun ownership, a move intended to rebuild trust that has been strained since the creation of the Firearms Safety Authority in 2022. The changes come after an inquiry highlighted how the perpetrator of the Christchurch mosque massacre legally obtained numerous weapons without attracting law enforcement scrutiny. The Firearms Safety Authority was established to prevent similar tragedies, but its involvement has led to friction with the licensed firearms community. The new law will see the Firearms Safety Authority report directly to the government, rather than the head of the New Zealand Police, and the fifteen police officers currently working at the authority will return to their regular duties. The goal is to create a more independent regulatory structure and mend the relationship between the regulator and gun owners, which has been severely diminished over the past six years.
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