Prime Minister Christopher Luxon refused to be drawn on details for his coalition partner’s proposal to liberalise access to centrefire semi-automatic firearms.
Luxon has been spending time with the victims and families of those affected by mosque terror attacks. Speaking to reporters in Christchurch on Friday, he said the five-year anniversary was about remembering the 51 shuhada (martyrs) murdered in the massacre.
He met with Muslim leaders after they sought assurances any changes to gun laws would not put their safety at risk.
Luxon yesterday told media he spent three or four days in Christchurch after the attacks, which left one of his employees at Air NZ dead. Photo / George Heard
“Our thoughts, prayers and love is very much with the families,” he said. “I spent time with the families a couple of days ago and I’m looking forward to some more time this afternoon.”
Luxon told media he spent three or four days in Christchurch after the attacks, which left one of his employees at Air New Zealand dead.
An armed police officer stands guard outside the Al Noor Mosque, Christchurch. Photo / Sam Sherwood
Luxon has been tight-lipped about his talks with Muslim leaders in Christchurch earlier this week, saying they were private conversations.
He was asked about any feedback he received on Friday on the proposed gun law changes.
“Well again, as I said to them, there has been no papers, no discussion, no debate, no decisions made whatsoever about that,” he said. “We are going to rewrite the Arms Act because it’s an outdated piece of legislation, it’s an old piece of legislation.”
Luxon said there would be “no new guns added into New Zealand”.
“[Nicole McKee, Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms)] is very cognisant of making sure that we end up with a stronger piece of legislation around public safety, but also good compliance.
Associate Minister of Justice (Firearms) Nicole McKee. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“And importantly, she wants to take on board fully the royal commission of inquiry recommendations. She wants to make that a fully transparent and open process when she’s ready to talk about the proposals for the rewrite of that legislation, but it’s all too premature at this point.”
He did not offer a timeframe, but promised to move the process on and “actually give people the yes or no answers they need”.
Judith Collins is leading the review of the recommendations from the inquiry into the mosque attacks. She said 23 of the 44 recommendations had been completed, another eight were being worked on at the moment, and another 15 needed ministerial decisions made.
