New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed gun law reforms are coming – announcing on Monday afternoon that the Cabinet had made an “in principle” agreement.
Ardern spent much of Monday afternoon in a Cabinet meeting discussing the nation’s gun laws following the Christchurch terror attack on Friday which left 50 dead.
The country’s police minister will share the decisions that the New Zealand Cabinet has made in 10 days, with a few details to work through before then.
“We are giving you an assurance now that we have made a decision as a Cabinet,” said Ardern. “I imagine the opposition will be supportive.”
New Zealand‘s Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters also spoke on Monday, saying the nation “changed forever” on Friday “and so will our laws.”
When asked about the issue of racism in Christchurch itself, Ardern said the country had to be alive to the fact that there are those who do live in New Zealand who “hold values and ideas and use language that is completely counter to what the vast majority of New Zealanders.”
Ardern also confirmed that there would be a national service and day of commemoration for those who were killed. A date has not yet been set.
Currently, New Zealanders are able to surrender their firearms to police at any time. Prime Minister Ardern said anyone considering handing over their guns was encouraged to do so.
