Proactive release of papers relating to the development of the Arms Legislation Bill

On 13 September 2019 the Minister of Police Hon Stuart Nash introduced an amendment Bill to the Arms Act 1983 titled the Arms Legislation Bill.

The following papers include advice on options which were provided to Ministers and Cabinet to support the development of the Arms Legislation Bill.

Additionally, some of the papers below are re-released papers that had been previously proactively released with redactions. These papers are now being released with some information unredacted. There is also a paper relating to the Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Magazines and Parts) Amendment Bill that was previously unreleased.

Key to sections of the Official Information Act 1982 under which information has been withheld.

Certain information in the document has been withheld under one or more of the following sections of the Official Information Act 1982:

• Information is withheld under section 6(b) where making it available would be likely to prejudice the entrusting of information to the Government of New Zealand on a basis of confidence by any other country.
• Information is withheld under section 6(c) where making it available would be likely to prejudice the maintenance of the law, including the prevention, investigation, and detection of offences, and the right to a fair trial.
• Information is withheld under section 9(2)(a) to protect the privacy of natural persons.
• Information is withheld under section 9(2)(ba)(i) to protect information which is subject to an obligation of confidence or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide under the authority of any enactment, where the making available of the information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar information, or information from the same source, and it is in the public interest that such information should continue to be supplied.
• Information is withheld under section 9(2)(f)(iv) in order to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials.
• Information is withheld under section 9(2)(g)(i) in order to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions.
• Information is withheld under section 9(2)(h) in order to maintain legal professional privilege.

Cabinet papers and related documents

• CAB paper: Arms Legislation Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF, 1.4MB)
• CAB-19-MIN-0454: Arms Legislation Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF,632KB)
• CBC paper: Arms Legislation Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF, 1.35MB)
• CBC-19-MIN-0037 Arms Legislation Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF, 611KB)
• SWC paper: Strengthening the framework for the safe use and control of firearms (PDF, 2.4MB)
• SWC paper: Strengthening the framework for the safe use and control of firearms: Appendix A - Table Of Comparisons (PDF, 1.1MB)
• SWC paper: Strengthening the framework for the safe use and control of firearms: Appendix B - Firearms Registration in other Jurisdictions (PDF, 609KB)

Advice to Ministers and related documents

• BR/19/46 Options for strengthening New Zealand’s firearms regime (3 May 2019) (PDF, 2.35MB)
• IPR/19/130 Sporting exemptions options discussion (PDF, 838KB)
• BR/19/69 Acceding to the Protocol against the illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition (12 July 2019) (PDF, 1.13MB)
• BR/19/69 Acceding to the Protocol against the illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition: Appendix 1 - Firearms Protocol (PDF, 562KB)
• BR/19/69 Acceding to the Protocol against the illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition: Appendix 2 - Analysis of legislative and regulatory changes required (PDF, 1.11MB)
• BR/19/79 Arms Act 1983 Offence and penalty (23 July 2019) (PDF, 825KB)
• IR for BR/19/79 Arms Act 1983 section 66 (24 July 2019) (PDF, 540KB)
• BR/19/86 Strengthening the framework for information sharing and introducing direct data access provisions (6 Aug 2019) (PDF, 757KB)
• BR/19/96 Follow up on Arms Act 1983 Offence and penalty (8 August 2019) (PDF, 920KB)
• IPR/19/205 Considerations by the Privacy Commissioner on the DDA elements of the Arms Bill (22 Aug 2019) (PDF, 939KB)
• BR/19/99 Strengthening the framework for information sharing and introducing direct data access provisions (23 Aug 2019) (PDF, 900KB)

Cost Recovery Impact Statement - Proposal to amend fee setting provision the Arms Act 1983

The following document is a Cost Recovery Impact Statement (CRIS) for the proposal to amend the fee setting provision in the Arms Act 1983. The CRIS intends to provide support for, and recommend an amendment to, the Arms Act 1983 to modernise the fee-setting provision and provide certainty about the services that can be charged for. The CRIS does not seek agreement on what the levels for the cost recovery should be.

• Cost Recovery Impact Statement - Proposal to amend fee setting provision the Arms Act 1983 (PDF, 179KB)

Re-released papers

• Cabinet paper – Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Parts and Magazines) Amendment Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF, 246KB)
• Cabinet paper – Addendum – Cabinet Legislation paper on Arms (Prohibited Firearms, Parts and Magazines) Amendment Bill: Approval for Introduction (PDF, 591KB)
• Cabinet paper – Arms Act 1983 Reforms – Paper 1 (PDF, 5.39MB)
• CAB-19-MIN-0124 Arms Act 1983 Reforms – Paper One (PDF, 633KB)

Previously unreleased paper

• Cabinet paper – Operation Dean Amendments to the Arms Act 1983 (PDF, 982KB)