Minister's Arms Advisory Group (MAAG) & More News Here

On 24 June 2020, the Arms Act 1983 (the Act) was amended to offer for the institution of a statutory advisory physique to the Minister of Police. Members had been appointed on 6 April 2021 to the Minister’s Arms Advisory Group (MAAG).

The goal of the MAAG is to advise the Minister on issues that contribute to attaining the goals of the Act, specifically, the secure use and management of firearms.

The MAAG might present recommendation on any matter referring to firearms in New Zealand, together with legislative proposals, insurance policies for regulating New Zealand’s firearms regime, and the promotion of firearms security.

MAAG members comprise a steadiness of individuals from each the firearm-owning and the non-firearm-owning neighborhood, together with people who find themselves involved in regards to the mitigation of hurt from firearms from a well being perspective.

Member biographies

• Don Hammond was appointed as Chair for a three-year time period. Mr Hammond brings enterprise, management and governance expertise, and information of firearms and pest management. He is at the moment Chair and shareholder of a variety of non-public farming and forestry entities, and not-for-profit entities.
• Rehanna Ali was appointed for a three-year time period. Ms Ali was a member of the Muslim Community Reference Group to the Royal Commission of Inquiry enterprise analysis into authorized, regulatory and legislative frameworks referring to firearms each in New Zealand and abroad; New Zealand gun licensing laws; and dealing with victims of gun violence.
• Michael Dowling was appointed for a two-year time period. Mr Dowling is the Chairman of the Council of Licenced Firearms Owners (COLFO), and a board member of the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups. Mr Dowling brings technical information of firearms and expertise with the firearms proudly owning neighborhood. He has intensive governance expertise as he’s at the moment a Director of a monetary advisory firm and has voluntary involvement in varied organisations.
• Simon Mount QC was appointed for a two-year time period. Mr Mount has been a Barrister since 2010 and has maintained an curiosity in firearms regulation and coverage. He has carried out and acted as counsel in a variety of inquiries related to public well being and security. Mr Mount is a member of the Public Service Commission’s Panel of Performance Improvement Framework Lead Reviewers and Inquirers.
• Dr Catherine (Cathy) Stephenson was appointed for a two-year time period. Dr Stephenson is a General Practitioner, the Clinical Lead Southern for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practice, and a Senior Clinical Lecturer in Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence, University of Otago. Dr Stephenson has a sound information of the well being impacts of firearms.
• Deborah (Debbie) Wakker was appointed for an eighteen-month time period. Ms Wakker is the President of Pistol New Zealand and a founding member of the Firearms Community Advisory Forum. She is actively concerned in a wide range of competitors capturing for pistol, rifle and shotgun, and is professionally concerned within the training sector.
• Shayne Walker was appointed for an eighteen-month time period. Mr Walker is at the moment Senior Lecturer in Social and Community Work Programme, Otago University Dunedin. He is an occasional leisure hunter. He is Co-Chair of Voyce Whakarongomai (a mentoring function) and has served on the Family Violence Death Review Committee since 2018.
• Philippa Yasbek was appointed for an eighteen-month time period. Ms Yasbek is a Co-founder of Gun Control New Zealand and has information of New Zealand and worldwide firearms regulatory techniques acquired by her involvement with Gun Control New Zealand.

There is at the moment one emptiness on the MAAG, the appointment course of is underway to discover a new member.

Members collectively possess information and expertise the next areas:

• New Zealand and worldwide firearms regulatory techniques
• public well being and security, notably because it pertains to firearms
• firearms analysis
• delivering firearms security coaching and secure and use of firearms
• membership of any neighborhood organisation or group concerned in firearms consciousness, security, or regulation reform
• capacity to work with Te Ao Māori and New Zealand’s various inhabitants.

Fees and bills

MAAG charges and bills are in accordance with the “Fees Framework for members appointed to bodies in which the Crown has an interest” [CO (19)1]. The charges framework is out there right here.

Resources and assist

Resources and administrative assist are offered by Police in accordance with part 89(4) of the Act. The Chair and members shall be supported by a Secretariat, who’s accountable to Police, to allow the MAAG to carry out its capabilities.