Gun control advocates in New Zealand are calling for the government to restrict or block the import and ownership of a type of rifle that can easily be cut down to serve as a handgun. The Alfa carbines and Alfa hunters, which have been imported into the country from 2019-2021, can be easily modified and concealed, posing a risk in the wrong hands. Police have reported that at least 163 out of the 782 Alfa weapons brought into the country have been passed on to criminals. While handguns have not been a major feature of gun crime in New Zealand, advocates argue that tighter restrictions or a prohibition on these weapons is necessary to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. However, some argue that further restrictions are unnecessary and that the focus should be on enforcing existing laws and cracking down on criminals [b23e5048].
The call for a ban on rifles that can easily be converted into handguns comes as the New Zealand government conducts a wide-ranging review of the country's gun laws. The review, led by Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee, aims to update the current laws, which were tightened after the 2019 mosque attack. McKee's political party campaigned on reversing many of the changes introduced after the attack, and she has pledged to update the law before the next election in 2026. The review will scrutinize every aspect of the law, including the restrictions on firing banned semi-automatic weapons. Gun owner groups have welcomed the review, while survivors of the mosque attack have criticized it. The changes implemented after the attack included the outlawing of all semi-automatic weapons, strengthening licensing requirements, and creating a firearms registry [20fe7a4e].
In addition to the review of gun laws, the New Zealand government has announced a new policy to extend Firearms Prohibition Orders (FPOs) to gang members. Associate Minister of Justice Nicole McKee stated that gang members convicted of a 'significant offence' would be prohibited from accessing firearms. The proposed legislation would also grant police greater powers to search gang members, their vehicles, and premises for firearms at any time. The bill would allow individuals subjected to an order to apply for changes or revocation after five years. This announcement comes after the government recently introduced anti-gang laws that ban gang patches in public and restrict gang gatherings. The government is also planning to rewrite the Arms Act, potentially allowing semi-automatics at gun ranges [e4560ea8].
The New Zealand government's decision to extend Firearms Prohibition Orders to gang members is part of a broader effort to crack down on gang-related crime and address the increase in gang violence and shootings in recent years [2d6d02d7].
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, the police force is set to replace their standard-issue US-made revolvers with pistols manufactured in mainland China. The replacement of service weapons for the city's 33,000 police officers is expected to take more than a decade to complete, including procurement and training. The first batch of frontline officers equipped with the new firearms is expected to be on street patrol by the end of this year or the beginning of next year. The change is necessary because the Smith & Wesson 38 revolvers currently used by most officers are no longer being made by the American company, and supplies of spare parts are dwindling. The force has opted to replace the weapons with a mainland-made 9mm handgun, the QSZ-92, which has a 15-round magazine capacity and a faster reload time compared to the current six-round revolver. The transition will take place in stages, with new recruits, personnel from the Police Tactical Unit, and officers working in criminal investigations being the first to receive the new firearms. Efforts to source firearms to replace the revolvers have been underway for several years, and the force began testing the mainland-made handgun around two years ago [e4e9a0c7].
The decision to replace US-made revolvers with mainland Chinese pistols is part of the Hong Kong Police Force's ongoing effort to modernize their equipment and ensure a sustainable supply of firearms. The new pistols were selected for their safety features and better fit for Asian users. They have a manual safety catch to reduce the risk of unintentional discharging. The sourcing of Chinese equipment is not new for the force, and the decision is not commented on whether it is related to mainland sanctions on US military firms [bac1bb69].