New Zealand starts 3-month firearms buy-back

Wellington, Jan 22 (IANS) New Zealand has begun a three-month firearms buy-back as part of the government's ambitious firearms reform program, Police Minister Poto Williams said on Friday.The last buy-back and amnesty was unprecedented for New Zealand and was successful in collecting 60,297 firearms, modifying a further 5,630 firearms, and collecting 299,837 prohibited parts and magazines, Williams said in a statement."We are resolute in ensuring our firearms reform program is stopping firearms falling into the wrong hands," Xinhua news agency quoted the Police Minister as saying.This next amnesty and buy-back is about removing further firearms and arms items that were prohibited and restricted through the Arms Legislation Act 2020 which was passed in June 2020.The government has allocated NZ$15.5 million ($11.13 million) for compensation and administrative costs, she said, noting that this buy-back is on a much smaller scale than 2019."This year's buy-back will look very different to the one in 2019 as there will be no large-scale collection events. "Police will be managing the smaller buy-back through appointments at police stations," she added.
--IANS ksk/