Standing up for Hunters and Licensed Firearm Owners

Our Values

ACT respects the role of responsible firearms owners, hunters, and shooting sports enthusiasts in New Zealand’s culture, economy, and conservation efforts. Firearms laws should focus on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, not punishing law-abiding people who follow the rules. Hunting and shooting are legitimate pastimes, essential pest-control tools, and an important part of rural life. We support practical, evidence-based regulation that improves safety without imposing unnecessary costs or bureaucracy.

Our Achievements

ACT has driven many of the Government’s actions to respect Licenced Firearms Owners and hunters. These include

• Delivering relief for shooting clubs and ranges: ACT made changes so clubs and ranges can operate with greater certainty, allowing people to learn and practice firearms skills safely in supervised environments.

• Strengthening police powers against criminals: ACT ensured that reforms targeted at criminals, such as gangs, were introduced alongside changes that protect responsible firearms owners.

• Challenging the firearms registry: ACT stood up to coalition partners over a centralised registry that risks becoming a “steal-to-order” list for gangs, pushing for a practical rewrite of the Arms Act.

• Embedding hunter input into conservation policy: ACT has advanced proposals to ensure hunters have a formal say in conservation management, recognising their contribution to pest control and environmental stewardship.

Our Next Goals

The coalition Government has not gone as far as ACT would like, but it’s gone further than it would have without ACT. We always have more ideas ready, and here are some we continue to advocate.

Rewrite the Arms Act for clarity and fairness

ACT is replacing Labour’s rushed and poorly targeted firearms laws with a practical, workable framework that recognises the rights of responsible owners while focusing enforcement on criminals.

Ensure hunter representation in conservation governance

ACT will press ahead with giving hunters a formal role in the management of game animals and pest control, ensuring policies are informed by those with hands-on conservation experience.

Protect access to public land for hunting

ACT will defend and enhance public land access for recreational hunters, resisting restrictions that are not based on clear safety or conservation needs.