COLFO Welcomes Budget Funding for Firearms Regulator and Fee Stability

Press Release | 29 May 2026 | Christchurch

The Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) has welcomed the Government’s announcement of $44.9 million in Budget 2026 funding to implement the new Arms Act, and help ensure firearms licence fees remain affordable and accessible.

COLFO is particularly pleased that licensed firearm owners will not face fee increases for at least the next two years. This provides essential time for the new independent regulator to establish its services before owners are asked to pay for them.

“We appreciate the Minister’s clear statement that people should not be priced out of licensing, and thank her for all the work she does on behalf of licensed firearm owners” said Hugh Devereux-Mack, COLFO’s Spokesperson.

“This funding is important not only for public safety reasons, but also because recreational hunters make a valuable contribution to maintaining and preserving New Zealand’s natural environment through wild game management. It is good to see this value being acknowledged by the Government.”

COLFO notes that this funding comes at a critical time, as New Zealand has yet to see the rollout of new national training initiatives needed to reverse the ongoing decline in licensed firearm owners — a trend that should itself be treated as a public safety concern.

“We also urge the new regulator to prioritise improvements to renewal processing times,” said Devereux-Mack.

“Reports from our members indicate some are currently waiting up to six months for renewals to be processed, while other government departments, such as the Department of Internal Affairs, can turn around passport applications in a matter of days. This level of service is simply not acceptable.”

COLFO also welcomes the tagged contingency funding to modernise firearms ICT systems. Improving these systems is critical, as members continue to report multiple errors in the Firearms Registry, long waiting times to make updates via phone, and are still awaiting the ability to register transfers online.

“Security remains a primary concern,” said Devereux-Mack. “Evidence heard by the Royal Commission into the Bondi massacre revealed that their Firearms Registry posed a significant risk to public safety. The licensed firearms community remains unconvinced that our own systems are not carrying similar risks.”

COLFO strongly supports the allocation of approximately $4.7 million towards establishing the new Firearms Licensing Review Committee.

“This is a significant and welcome development,” said Devereux-Mack.

“It gives licensed firearm owners access to an independent forum to challenge decisions made by the regulator. This makes justice more accessible when owners wish to contest what they feel may be unfair rulings, free from police bias.”

COLFO views the decision to separate firearms regulation from Police as another positive step.

“Early results from COLFO’s annual Trust and Confidence Survey show that licensed firearm owners currently have very little trust that Police can administer the Arms Act without bias. Moving regulation to an independent body is an important move toward rebuilding confidence in the system,” said Devereux-Mack.

COLFO looks forward to working constructively with the Firearms Safety Authority to deliver a fair, efficient, and effective firearms management system that serves both public safety and the interests of New Zealand’s licensed firearm owning community.

/ENDS

For further information, contact COLFO Spokesperson:

Hugh Devereux-Mack

Email: hugh@colfo.org.nz