ACT's Record

ACT has stood up for hunters, licensed firearms owners and the volunteers who care for the backcountry. In Government, we have turned that advocacy into practical changes. They include:

• Replacing the Arms Act: Nicole has led a complete rewrite of the 1983 Act. The new Act created an independent firearms regulator, introduced a fairer licensing review process, and made pest-control endorsements more practical and place stronger restrictions on gangs and illegal firearms activity.

• Making shooting-club and range rules workable: Nicole McKee passed legislation that introduced simpler enrolment for non-pistol clubs and ranges, reduced the barriers to temporary ranges, clarified inspections and cut unnecessary compliance costs while retaining public-safety requirements.

• Targeting criminals with guns: Nicole strengthened Firearms Prohibition Orders so courts can apply them more effectively to gang members and serious violent offenders. Police gained new powers to check compliance with an order, putting enforcement where the risk actually lies.

• Putting hunter-led game management into law: The Herds of Special Interest legislation now provides a clear legal route for valued herds to be managed in national parks. Cameron Luxton pressed the case for hunters during the select committee process, while work began on the country’s first sika and wapiti Herds of Special Interest.

• Bringing hunters into wild-deer control: ACT Minister Andrew Hoggard has funded three community-led pilots in Rangitīkei, Wairarapa and North Canterbury to improve wild-deer management on productive land. Hunting representatives sit on the programme’s oversight group, and the pilots will not use toxins to control deer.

• Standing alone against rushed firearms law: ACT was the only party to vote against the Arms Legislation Act in 2020. We opposed imposing more bureaucracy on responsible firearms owners while failing to focus on criminals who use guns.

The coalition Government has not gone as far as ACT would like, but it has gone further than it would have without ACT.