Associate justice minister welcomes extended submission period
Nicole McKee, associate justice minister, has shared that the government has recently introduced the Arms Bill – which updates more than 60 existing offences and creates eight new ones – to Parliament.
“This marks the final phase of reform of New Zealand’s firearms laws, building on earlier work to strengthen Firearms Prohibition Orders and improve the regulation of clubs and ranges,” McKee said in a news release from the government.
She explained that the bill’s over 50 policy updates seek to strengthen public safety and decrease the regulatory burdens faced by licenced firearm owners.
In its news release, the government noted that the bill also aims to fulfill the ACT–National coalition commitment to rewrite the Arms Act 1983 to enhance public safety, simplify the relevant regulatory requirements, and improve compliance within this parliamentary term.
The government’s news release stated the bill introduces changes intended to:
In another news release from the government regarding the Arms Bill, McKee welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s decision to add almost four weeks to the submission period, which ends at 11:59 P.M. on Monday, 16 February 2026.
“This Bill will affect every Licenced Firearm Owner, and my goal is for the final law to make it easier for responsible people to safely use and possess firearms,” McKee said in the news release. “To achieve that, the Committee needs to hear from the people on the ground.”
To ensure that the legislation is practical, she encouraged all New Zealanders interested in firearms to submit their thoughts and insights regarding:
“Many Licenced Firearm Owners will be hunting and enjoying the outdoors over summer, often without reliable internet or access to a computer,” McKee said in the government’s news release. “This may make it difficult for some people to make a submission.”
She noted that she brought up this issue with the Justice Select Committee and suggested extending the submission period.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to get firearms law right, and I’m determined that New Zealand ends up with the world’s best firearms laws once again,” McKee said. “That requires genuine input from the people who interact with the system every day.”
She acknowledged that the government has previously rushed through significant legislative changes for firearms with minimal or no consultation.
“I’m proud to be part of a Government delivering a fair, fit-for-purpose law that will receive a full six-month select committee process,” McKee said in the news release.
According to the government, earlier this year, over 8,500 people sent more than 700,000 individual feedback points in their submissions regarding the Arms Act reform.
