The Arms Act 2026 brings in important provisions RACS has advocated for over several years, including:
- retaining the ban on Military-Style Semi-Automatic (MSSA) weapons
- retaining universal registration of gun ownership
- stricter gun licensing criteria and protocols, and stricter penalties for non-compliance
- closing loopholes which facilitate illicit transactions.
The main changes are:
- requiring any person or organisation operating under the firearms regulatory regime to act in the interests of personal, community and public safety
- establishing a new independent Firearms Regulator - not within NZ Police – reporting direct to the responsible Minister
- gang members cannot hold a firearms licence
- increasing penalties to reflect the seriousness of offences, with infringements for low-level non-compliance by a licensed firearm owner
- setting out how the Regulator, Police and other agencies share information that raises concerns about a licence holders’ “fit and proper” status and share information about risks and incidents involving firearms items
- a Firearms Licensing Review Committee to consider reviews against decisions to refuse, suspend or cancel firearms licences
- greater flexibility for licence holders to store firearms in the most appropriate location to prevent theft and unlawful access
- dealer’s licences renamed ‘business licences’ and their duration extended to five years for compliant holders.
- creation of museum-specific ‘curator licences.’
- fee reviews every five years.
In February 2026 a joint submission from the Chairs of the Trauma Sub-committee and AoNZ National Committee emphasised the importance of reducing firearm-related trauma and highlighted the impacts of gun violence on patients, families, the health system, and the surgical workforce.