It goes without saying that gun control is a misnomer within New Zealand society. A gun control advocacy group called ‘Gun Control New Zealand’ is now calling for an end to all firearms advertising.

The group founder Hera Cook says that we have some pretty out of control firearms retailers. She also says that with some gun retailers, you could almost describe them as provocative in terms of what they've done with their advertising over the past five years. Some are even known to be advertising to children.

Here’s the key point to the sale of guns: hunters know where to buy guns, the rest of New Zealand don’t need guns advertised to them. There are anywhere between 1.2 million and 1.7 million guns in the country, and sadly it’s just too easy for unlicensed individuals to get their hands on one.

This year's Budget set aside $208 million over four years to establish a new Firearms Business Unit within police to oversee the register and other ongoing Arms Act legislative changes.

A nationwide register is due to come into force in 2023.

There's no control over firearms advertising and there would be no limits on personal arsenals when this register comes into place. 

Why on earth wouldn't you set a limit on the firearms that any licensed gun owner can own? Why go down the road of remarkable and much overdue reform and not make that logical step? 

With the inadequate control we currently have - and the impending prospect of further pathetic half measures, people will still be able to sell their firearms to people they don't know. The advocacy group thinks both guns and individuals should be licensed. The same system that we have for cars. 

We have the 13th highest rate of civilian ownership of firearms in the world in New Zealand, we've had 40 years of no register and records which is what ‘Gun Control New Zealand’ has consistently pushed for as a logical and positive change.

So why aren’t our elected officials listening and putting all of the sound recommendations of Gun Control New Zealand into law? What on earth is holding them back?