(media release)
The coronial inquiry into the 15 March terror attack is now likely to highlight the inadequacy of the firearms legislation that was rushed through by Government soon afterwards, says the Council of Licensed Firearm Owners (COLFO).
The coronial inquiry into the Christchurch mosque attacks has announced that it will review whether the firearms licensing process followed by police in issuing the gunman’s firearms licence can be causally connected to the attack. It will consequently evaluate whether the Arms Act amendments of 2020 sufficiently addressed those inefficiencies.
COLFO says the result will become part of the judgement of history against the Labour Government’s immediate legislative response to the attack.
It believes the Coroner’s answer will be that it is causally connected to the attack because issuing the firearm licence gave the man access to guns he was not fit and proper to hold, and that none of the subsequent law changes addressed the reasons why Police made that error of process and judgement.
COLFO spokesperson Hugh Devereux-Mack says the Royal Commission’s inquiry already proved that the Arms Legislation Act 2020 would not have made a difference to the events.
“COLFO said at the time that the proposed firearms register, harsher dealer and storage rules, would not have altered the outcome of March 15. Dealers, storage and a record of firearms had nothing to do with the shooting. This was implicit in the Royal Commission’s inquiry, which identified Police failure in sufficiently vetting the Christchurch Terrorist during his license application, incorrectly deeming him to be fit and proper.”
Despite the Inquiry results, the Government elected to pass more unrelated laws for the Police to enforce on licensed firearm owners.
“The firearms law changes hustled through by Government only make it harder for hobbyists, pest controllers and farmers to go about their lives and business.
“We look forward to the coronial inquiry recognising that the changes to the Arms Act would not have affected the outcome of March 15 and are therefore unjustified and should be reviewed.”
Brian Johnston said:
Is Hugh Devereux-Mack for real. The shooter did not come to NZ, he was brought to NZ. The shooting was not the act of a lone operative. It was organised. one question that needs to be asked and answered is, Why did the police arrest others? and then let them go? The NZ licencing system was not a part of the ‘problem’.
Another question could be, Why did the shooter shoot up NZ mosques when he had mosques in Australia?
No one got shot in the Livestream video. Max Igan is wrong.
The photos of the ambulances outside the mosque appear to be of a drill.
Folks, to this day we do not know what happened. All we know is what the media has fed to us and with scant detail. One shooter shot up two mosgues and 50 people were killed. The media did a poor job. We know a stack more about the average suburban murder case.
We know a heap more about the Port Arthur shooting. Various media covered it and a couple of people went on a speaking tour. A book by Joe Vialls was published which told us that Martin Bryant was innocent. Who knows what happened.
Australia had Port Arthur and the guns were taken. NZ had the Christchurch shooting and the guns were taken. It was pointed out in Australia that the necessary legislation was passed to quickly and that it had to have been prepared in advance.
My question is, How did the Christchurch shooter coincide his shooting with a major drill. We were told there was a drill underway on the day.
I met a woman who lost her husband and feel for the families who lost fellow members.
We just have to go forward with the knowledge of not knowing.
Editor is this a copy of my previous comment though with slight changes?
Richard Hannay said:
Interesting comment by Brian Johnston. To those who scoff at conspiracies, just think, think of history and the plotting and acts throughout time. Julius Caesar?, Watergate, Lincoln and Kennedy’s assassinations? Why even the Last Supper!
The people who lust for power and domination play it hard. Human lives matter not a jot to them to achieve their aims.
I think the main point is the Royal Commission’s inquiry, identified Police failure in sufficiently vetting the Christchurch Terrorist during his licence application, incorrectly deeming him to be fit and proper.”
Despite the Inquiry results, the Government elected to pass more unrelated laws for the Police to enforce on law abiding licensed firearm owners.
And the Police and Minister of Police (Nash) at the time seem to be beyond the reach of justice. They were accomplices to the crime by way of gross incompetency.
What is going to be done to hold them to account?
I strongly suspect. Nothing.
A hearty pat on the back is deserved by COLFO and Hugh Devereaux Mack.
cunning5tunt said:
I believe the cops accepted one of Tarrant’s face book friends, who was in another country, as a referee.
How did that happen?
terry1tutaki said:
Ohhhhhhhhhh the dopy Government doing a Backflip because of under duress.