One Kiwifruit Orchardist drove all the way from Te Puke to Te Awamutu tonight so that he might stare National Party MPs Barbara Kuriger and Chris Bishop in the eye and tell them how the New Arms legislation they helped enact has not only turned him into a criminal, but also has grievously impacted on his business… affecting his ability to deal with vermin… rabbits,possums, goats, deer and many other unwanted pests that attack his crop and dig holes that endanger his workers in the field.
The National party plan to run a series of meetings around the country to discuss ongoing Gun legislation, this meeting was held at the Te Awamutu RSA, and was attended by a large mob of highly pissed off gun owners looking for blood!
I would estimate there was 300 people in attendance… filling the RSA main hall (The Mps admitted they were only expecting to use a much smaller space) and 90% of the people made it clear they felt utterly betrayed by the National party’s shameful collusion with the Labour Party coalition to rob them of their Gun rights.
From the very start many made it clear they were not interested in hearing weasel excuses, and demanded the two Mps *listen to the people*
More than one Farmer stood up and repeated they suffer same problems about pest control as the guy from Te Puke, and were outraged!
Adding the fact that not only was loosing their AR Semiautomatics a matter affecting the humane dispatching of Pests, but that it is expensive and impracticable to hire Pest control experts..who were also represented at the meeting and bitter that they too are also heavily affected by the legislation and in danger of being shut down unless by some miracle the Police find it in their hearts to grant them an exemption.
One Pest control businessman warns Banning AR semiautomatics will result in a massive increase in pest numbers.
There were Sports shooters and collectors who tore strips off these two National Party Representatives for basically destroying the things they are passionate about.
The people were not impressed with the weak excuses and outright dishonesty they received in response.
Both Kuriger and Bishop tried in vain to shift the blame onto Jacinda Ardern for how the rushed enactment of the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines, and Parts) Amendment Bill was a farcical and contemptuous violation of Due Democratic process. They told lies that they had no way of either slowing down the Juggernaut, or any power to alter the scope of the Bill … All falsehoods… none of it believed by the people present.
The Crowd was seething about the disgusting Police raids that are afoot…. guns being pointed at children,etc and after many people had expressed how incensed about how their sports, hunting and businesses were directly impacted, Ex New Zealand First candidate for Northcote Kym Koloni tore strips off them saying “Nobody gives a shit what policies you are going to take into the next election, we care what you are going to do about this Right Now!”
“Grow some Balls!, and start acting like a real opposition party or you had better make sure your CV is up to date because you will soon be out of a Job!”
She finished off by calling NZ First Leader, current deputy Prime minister Winston Peters and his sidekick, and Minister of Defense Ron Mark Traitors.
The Public Grilling lasted for over two hours.
One person quoted Jacinda Ardern Pre- Christchurch Terror attack as having stated that “It would take a Port Arthur type event in New Zealand before heavier Gun restrictions could be passed”
So Australian Brenton Tarrant provided her with the perfect opportunity to strike at New Zealanders Gun rights.
Chris Bishop was on the Committee that was supposed to have read the 12000 written submissions and herd the mere 20 people who were allowed to deliver Oral submissions, and told the crowd that though he could not disclose the Committee conversations, he said that some of the National party committee members tried to get exemptions for sports shooters yet were ‘unable to sway Labours Minister of Police Stuart Nash.
Nobody present believed they tried very hard!
The two Mps tried to hide their personal complicity in voting for the bill by saying that as it was not a conscience vote…’They had little choice’ but to vote as a block for what their Party Caurcus deemed would be the party position on the bill… to which one of the people cried out that in doing so they betrayed their local constituencies who have voted for them to take care of their communities interest … not kowtowing to their own party interests!
Chris Bishop admitted the legislation has Flaws… yet National still decided to vote for it despite this fact…. The People called that a betrayal of their duty!
One guys stood up and said instead of Banning all these Guns and having to spend a billion dollars on the buy back scheme why didn’t parliament instead legislate to shift these guns into the ‘E’ category which entails higher security gun safes, and personal vetting? to which Chris Bishop admitted that was probably a much better approach… yet offered no reason why that obviously less severe… more fair option was not considered.
That is when I got the opportunity to stand up and explain the facts.
1. These two MPs are not telling the truth as they were party to the shameful episode in the house in which Trevour Mallard and Chris Hipkins deviously took advantage of David Seymours late arrival to agree to speeding up the enactment of this legislation… the whole national party had the opportunity to slow down this process by a simple ‘No’ vote to Hipkins petition to race this bill into Law.
2. I said the reason why the lesser path of moving these arms to E cat rather than the outright prohibition was never considered *was because this was never about taking a rational approach because the Police had wanted to get these guns outlawed for years… way before the Christchurch attack… *That was the point of this Bill as far as what the Police wanted*
And I reminded them that there was a Safeguard of democracy that was being violated by the Police writing the legislation they also enforce!
Ie The principle of the Separation of Powers!
That is why The farmers got no exemptions, why the Sports shooters got no Exemptions, and why the Collectors got no exemptions!
*The Police were only interested in getting what they wanted*… to hell with everyone elses rights!
It did not matter that the people who are loosing their guns have committed no crimes.
What mattered is that the Police got what they wanted, and Ardern got what she wanted.
And the National party were fully complicit in all of it!
To Chris Bishops credit he acknowledged what I said about excessive Police power and influence in the way the amendment was framed was true.
Chris and Barbara said they were taking all this criticism on board and would report back to their party the views and feelings expressed tonight and would do their best to try and get some easement… some exemptions for Sports people, Collectors, and for pest control when ‘Round two’ of Gun legislation begins shortly.
They also mentioned round two may involve the possibility of a Gun register, of a review of what defines ‘a fit and proper person’… which is a frightening possibility that New amendments and definitions may allow the Police the discretion to deny firearms licences to anyone who expresses opinions or criticisms that neither the Police of Government appreciate… under the pretext that contrary views entail evidence that a person is not fit.
We only need to contemplate the fact that during Kiwi gun blog’s Mike Loders oral submission opposing the new arms amendments, that Judith Colins questioned if he was a fit and proper person to hold a gun licence.
One Gun collector talked about the fact that she had bought her grandson an antique lever action rifle to celebrate him getting his gun license… but now with the new Arms act ammendments his Rife … a gift from his loving grandmother …has been rendered illegal because of its tube mag capacity!
*These are the sorts of Rights violations that have been perpetrated by Ardern, and Parliament against Law abiding New Zealanders!
Its corruption!
Its a Power Grab!
More was said on both sides yet what was clear to the people present was that National party had sold them out.
I think its easy to infer the event was a bust for the National Party, who were sent home with their tails between their legs.
They have been given notice of the depth of the Peoples contempt for what they have done.
One Name however shone like a spotlight throughout the evening… Acts David Seymour!
His name would have been spoken over a dozen times and how he carried himself with courage and principle …though out this anti-gun craze… while all the rest of Parliament *Laughed* in his face and showed utter disregard for sound principles of Law, and due process.
Howls of betrayal rang out at the mention of Winston Peters and Ron Mark.
Seymour was used as an exemplar … “Why did not you two do what David Seymour did????”
I think The Act Party are looking to get a serious boost of Support from the Gun owning community of New Zealand.
The National party may think twice about rolling out these meetings across the country now they have had a taste of the wrath of the people… who wont be fooled by lame excuses for their betrayal.
Another important thing this meeting taught me is that any well organised protest down at Wellington would be well attended.
The Gun community needs to rally!
Tim Wikiriwhi
Libertarian Independent.
For New Zealand Gun Community News and Discussion go to Kiwi gun blog on Facebook here or on MeWe here
Update 14-5-19
One thing that has occurred to me with regards to one of the Police wish list for the second round of gun regulations they are lobbying for ie: for a revision of what defines ‘a fit and proper person’ to hold a Gun licence, is not only that they will seek greater discretionary powers to refuse licences to individuals on the basis of lawful comments made on Social media that they dont like… maybe criticism of the Police… maybe critisism of Government policy that the Police like… but they are also Cunningly setting up a whole avenue of excuses to absolve themselves from culpability with respect to the up and coming inquiry they are facing with respect to why they gave Brenton Tarrant a gun licence.
You see if they posit the Idea that the current definition has significant failings… they will be able to argue that they fulfilled their obligations *as the definition now stands*… and that it is *insufficient concept* of who is ‘a fit and proper person’ that is to blame and proof that the government needs to ‘make it broader’ … ie give the Police more power and grounds to refuse licences on their own discretion and judgement.
Remember the Government and Police are only interested in this process being a one way road… in their favour… more power to them, less rights … and even less people allowed to hold *any* firearms.
Do not hold any delusions about this process being fair… or reasonable… or Prudent… or has any concern for the Rights and Liberties of Lawful gun owners.
A redefinition on who is deemed to be a fit and proper person to hold a fire arms licence will also trigger a whole new wave of Police raids Raids and confiscations…
*Think about that!*
Read ‘Laughing fit’ in Parliament after David Seymour arrives too late to slow gun law reform.
NZ’s battle over semi-automatics: Police frustrated by the law, firearm owners frustrated by police
MY SUBMISSION ON THE ARMS (PROHIBITED FIREARMS, MAGAZINES, AND PARTS) AMENDMENT BILL