The Arms Legislation Bill is currently stalled before the House, thanks to NZ First's roadblock to progress. Meanwhile, the National Party, which had previously supported the bill, has decided to put up an amendment to allow Nazis and other extremists to continue to own guns:
The National Party wants to water down a proposal to restrict extremists from obtaining a firearms license.
In a Supplementary Order Paper submitted on the Government's Arms Legislation Bill, National's Police spokesperson Brett Hudson proposes that a test for violent and extremist tendencies should only be applied to people who have been "convicted of an offence under the Human Rights Act 1993 or the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 relating to violent, hateful, or extremist speech or behaviour".
This is one of the core provisions of the bill. Many members of the public were rightly appalled that someone with violent, extremist views like the Christchurch shooter was considered a "fit and proper person" to hold a firearms licence, and wanted an automatic exclusion. National's amendment would ensure that people like him still could, so they could arm themselves for the next massacre. So, they're definitely choosing a side here, and its the side of racist murderers who massacre innocent people on the basis of their race or religion. It is absolutely disgusting. But that's what happens when your key opposition tactic is to whip up fear and hate and pander to the most regressive elements of our society.
The National Party should be deeply, deeply ashamed of this position. National voters should be ashamed of it. And the message is clear: a vote for National is a vote for more massacres.
