Target Shooting Hastings

32 days to go…

The closing date for submissions on the Arms Act is 11.59pm, Monday, 16 February 2026. If passed, the Bill would repeal and replace the Arms Act 1983.

There are several steps that still need to happen before a Bill can become law. In the interim, fi****ms licence holders please continue complying with the existing legislation.

Want to make a submission? Head over to Parliament’s website and follow the instructions: https://www3.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/document/54SCJUST_SCF_E30C016E-D93C-439D-8EFA-08DE360DAD5F/arms-bill

Today I announced the major policy changes in the new Arms Act.

The new law will improve public safety by keeping fi****ms out of criminals and gangs' hands while also making compliance much easier for licenced firearm owners.

I didn't get everything I wanted but I'd say I got around 95%, with ACT agreeing to disagree with our coalition partners on the fi****ms registry and access to restricted fi****ms for sports shooters.

There are some significant wins here for the licenced firearm community. I thought for my first post I'll paste the full list of changes below, let me know if you have any questions.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀

- Creating an independent Fi****ms Licencing Review Committee including representative of the fi****ms community to hear appeals on licencing decisions.
- Allowing the regulator to issue fi****ms licence extensions for up to three years to improve processing times.
- Create an urgent licence renewal process, similar to passports, for international travel.
- Allow overseas shooters to obtain multi-entry licences to allow them to enter New Zealand multiple times within a 12-month period.
- Allow fi****ms to be stored at any location approved by the regulator, not just your primary residence.
- Clarify product definitions and exempt low-risk items.
- Require permits to possess to be obtained before starting to manufacture arms items.
- Fi****ms or parts manufactured by someone for their own personal use may only be sold through licenced businesses. Other fi****ms and parts can be bought and sold as normal, including privately.
- Require the regulator to consult directly with the fi****ms community and enable them to publish guidance on their website.
- Review fees every five years and creating a tiered fee structure that allows services that provide greater public benefit to recover a smaller portion of costs.
- Remove the ability for the regulator to record information in the registry beyond what is explicitly required by regulations.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀:

- Endorsements issued to pest controllers will be extended to five years with a mid-term check in to confirm that their circumstances haven’t changed.
- Allow specified employees of biosecurity and pest control organisations to share prohibited fi****ms without triggering permit-to-possess or registry updates for each short-term transfer.
- Allow greater flexibility for collectors’ storage of vital parts for prohibited fi****ms.
- Rename the ‘dealer’s licence’ to ‘business licence’.
- Clarify when a person is “in business” to reduce unnecessary licence applications and provide clarity.
- Remove the need for a permit to possess for repairs, conversions, or deactivations by gunsmiths.
- Extend import permit duration for business licence holders to 12 months.
- Extend business licence durations to five years for those with a record of good compliance.
- Remove the requirement for employee endorsements on their personal licences so long as the business licence holder has the endorsement.
- Create museum-specific ‘curator licences’ allowing the public display of arms without disproportionate requirements that are difficult and costly to meet.
- Create museum worker licences for employees who do not wish to own fi****ms, removing the need for staff to have secure storage at home.
- Clarify manufacturing definitions and exclude replacing parts with a like-for-like part from the definition of manufacturing.

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿

- Require regulator approval for commercial ammunition sellers.
- Establish a new firearm regulatory agency led by an independent chief executive.
- Create a formalised ‘red flag’ system so other agencies can alert the regulator of information that raises concerns about a person’s ‘fit and proper’ status.
- Clarify information sharing powers between the regulator and the police.

𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆:

- The purpose of the legislation will be expanded to include all actors in the system, not just LFOs.
- Gang members are automatically disqualified from holding a fi****ms licence.
- Infringement notices and temporary suspensions will be enabled for low-level non-compliance, rather than revocation.
- Health-related licence suspensions can be in place for up to 12 months, because three months is often not enough time to obtain medical reports or implement mitigations.
- Blank-firing guns that are able to be converted into functional fi****ms will be regulated, although those that already hold them without a licence may keep them.
- High-capacity pistol magazines will be restricted to endorsed licence holders.
- Business licence holders will be required to notify police of all surrendered arms items.
- Creating a pathway to lawful ownership for currently prohibited fi****ms through conversion or deactivation for those affected by the 2019-2020 law changes.
- New offences created to future-proof the law and prevent diversion to criminals.
- Blueprints for 3D printed fi****ms can only be held by LFOs.
- Updating penalties, especially for those committed by people who do not hold a fi****ms licence.g privley