2026 | Volume 27 | Issue 5
Arms Act 2026 passed in Aotearoa
The Arms Act 2026 came into force on 23 September 2026, with stricter gun licensing controls and stricter penalties for non-compliance. Gang members will not be able to hold a firearms licence. An independent Firearms Regulator will be established.
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.
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Potential professional home for assisted dying practitioners in Aotearoa
RACS contributed to a submission from the Council of Medical Colleges proposing establishment of a professional home for assisted dying practitioners. Doctors delivering these services lack a professional structure to support safe, consistent, well-governed practice. A professional home (community of practice) would provide a training framework, CPD programme, clinical leadership, and oversight of professional practice.