The New Zealand Government will review regulations surrounding shooting clubs and ranges

The Government is consulting with New Zealanders on a package of proposals for simple and effective regulation of shooting clubs and ranges, Deputy Justice Minister Nicole McKee announced today.

“Clubs and shooting ranges are important not only for people learning how to use firearms safely, practice and compete, but they are also a great community asset,” says Minister McKee.

“However, changes to the law in 2020 changed the way clubs and shooting ranges are regulated, so all shooting clubs had to be approved and shooting ranges had to be certified, often at great cost.

“I am concerned that these requirements go beyond what is necessary to ensure public safety. The current rules impact those who run clubs and shooting ranges – many of whom are volunteers – and put them at risk of closure.

“This would have a negative impact on public safety. Club members run many of our shooting ranges and if the club closes there is no one to operate the range. This leaves no safe place to perform basic tasks such as aiming rifles and educating new licensed firearm owners about firearm safety.

“The ACT Coalition Agreement has committed to work immediately to repeal and replace Part 6 of the Arms Act 1983 relating to clubs and shooting ranges. We’ve been working hard on it, and today I’m excited to share with you what it looks like.”

From now until June, the Ministry of Justice will conduct detailed consultations on a package of proposals for simple and effective regulations for pistol and other clubs and shooting ranges.

“I look forward to hearing from interested parties. The final proposals will be confirmed after the consultations are completed, and the draft bill will be presented to parliament later this year,” he says.

“In the meantime, the government will make a short-term adjustment to the annual reporting requirements of non-pistol clubs.

“I have been contacted directly by non-pistol shooting clubs regarding the annual report requirement. This is first-hand knowledge of the pressure clubs are under. In my opinion, this is an example of over-regulation without a clear public justification for safety.

“Adjusting this requirement for non-pistol clubs will be a short-term measure that will benefit over 100 non-pistol shooting clubs, pending consideration of wider changes to requirements for clubs as part of a rewrite of the Gun Act.”

Until the changes come into force, all shooting clubs will have to meet the current requirements.

“I look forward to sharing my broader firearms law reform agenda with New Zealanders. We need simple and effective laws that help keep New Zealand communities safe by keeping firearms out of the hands of people who could misuse them.”