Tom Mauser (right) with a poster of son Daniel, who was killed in the shooting rampage at Columbine High School at a protest outside the NRA convention. Photo / Getty Images
Tom Mauser (right) with a poster of son Daniel, who was killed in the shooting rampage at Columbine High School at a protest outside the NRA convention. Photo / Getty Images
A father who lost his son in the Columbine High School massacre 25 years ago is warning New Zealand not to be complacent when it comes to firearms.
In the wake of the Christchurch terror attack, the then Labour-led government banned semi-automatic firearms and assault rifles. But now the coalition agreement between National and Act could see semi-automatics return to gun ranges.
They are the same type the Christchurch terrorist used to murder 51 worshippers and wound dozens more on March 15, 2019 - what’s often been described as “New Zealand’s darkest day”.
The US will this month mark a similar history-defining moment in the world’s collective memory associated with gun violence.
It’s been 25 years since the Columbine High School massacre - the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in US history at the time.
Columbine high school shooters Eric Harris (left) and Dylan Klebold during their shooting spree, which killed 13 people. Photo / Getty Images
On April 20, 1999, 12th-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and a teacher before turning their guns on themselves.
Fifteen-year-old Daniel Mauser was one of those killed in the school’s library.
Daniel’s father, Tom, has spent the last 25 years advocating for gun control in America and told The Front Page that it’s important New Zealand remain vigilant when it comes to firearms.
Three of the guns used by his son’s murderers were obtained through loopholes in Colorado legislation. And while the exact technicality adopted by Harris and Klebold cannot be applied in New Zealand, Mauser said everything should be done to give less opportunity to those who want to exploit the law.
“So often what killers do is they find loopholes in our laws. And if you’re going to give them an opening, they’re going to take it. And I think we have to do all we can to close those loopholes,” he said.
Using loopholes is also what Brenton Tarrant did to make his weapons more deadly on March 15.
While Tarrant was not entitled to own military-style semi-automatic firearms with his standard firearms licence, he was able to legally acquire both the rifles and the large-capacity magazines separately.
Not having an E endorsement meant it was illegal for him to put those large-capacity magazines into his semi-automatic rifles. But he was able to do so anyway.
A police officer patrols outside the Al Noor Mosque during the Call to Prayer at Hagley Park on March 22. Photo / Mark Mitchell
The Government’s openness to potentially allowing semi-automatic weapons in gun clubs has also raised concern. Tarrant had became a member of two gun clubs and was also able to obtain a firearms licence legally.
Mauser points to a mass shooting in Hamburg, Germany - where killer Philipp Fusz also had a weapons licence and legally owned a semi-automatic before he stormed into a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall and killed eight people on March 9 last year.
“I know there was a terrible tragedy in Germany where they also have pretty tight laws - and it’s mostly for hunters and those who shoot at a range. And the same thing happened there. A young man had that license and still went on a killing spree.
“I understand that there are people who have fun firing these weapons... But, we have to get beyond fun and we really have to consider the danger,” he said.
Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms) Nicole McKee announces new measures that will enable police to crack down on gangs through Firearms Prohibition Orders. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms) Nicole McKee said the Government has committed to reviewing and rewriting the Arms Act (1983) in its entirety, passing the new law this parliamentary term.
“I am actively considering advice and expect to make announcements around the wider firearms programme of work in due course.”
When it was put to the minister how Tarrant was vetted and a member of at least two gun clubs - where he practiced firing the weapons he would eventually alter then use on innocent people - McKee said it’d likely be “raised and considered” during a “robust public consultation process”.
Labour’s police spokeswoman Ginny Andersen, however, said the Government shouldn’t risk any more of such weapons falling into the wrong hands.
“Minister Nicole McKee has been found to be misleading us on the number of people who can hold this type of gun in the country, in an immoral attempt to normalise them,” Anderson claimed. “Labour has been firm on our stance - if you want to fire a military-style semi-automatic weapon, join the military.
“With it being less than a month after the fifth anniversary of the March 15 mosque attacks, these proposed changes are clearly the wrong priorities and will only take us backwards.”
Green Party Justice spokeswoman Tamatha Paul said the experience of other countries paints a pretty vivid picture of what can happen when a country fails to restrict access to military style weapons.
”We have seen what happens in the United States when we let gun lobbyists decide our gun laws - the minister misleading the public on the number of people who have access to the kinds of guns used in the March 15 terror attacks should be cause for alarm,” Paul said.
”The reality is that our gun legislation as it previously stood provided a pathway for March 15 to happen. Taking a step backwards would be a step towards allowing history to repeat itself. The enjoyment of a handful of gun enthusiasts will never outweigh the safety of our people and the legacy of those lost on March 15.”
Both Anderson and Paul refer to McKee repeatedly saying more than 6600 New Zealanders are licensed to possess semi-automatics. Figures given to RNZ confirm 6847 licence-holders have the endorsement required, but only 1593 can hold the firearms banned in 2019. Of that, only 328 people - pest controllers - can fire them.
In a statement marking the fifth anniversary of the March 15 terror attack, the Imam of the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch, Gamal Fouda, also pleaded with Prime Minister Chris Luxon to keep the legislation as is.
“The March 15 victims don’t feel safe even five years after this horrific incident and we call on you to maintain the current firearms law,” Fouda said.
“We must remember that the terrorist who attacked us on March 15 bought his guns legally in New Zealand and was also a registered member of a gun club.”
Mauser’s main message to New Zealand: “Don’t let yourself become like the United States.”
“I remind people that this can happen to you. If you don’t think this can happen to you, you’re foolish.
“Doing nothing won’t solve our problem. Going backward, as some people in New Zealand are considering, will do nothing, and probably make things worse.”
Listen to the full episode to hear more about Tom Mauser’s work advocating for gun control and why New Zealand shouldn’t roll back on gun legislation.
The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.
