Following last week’s massacre of 50 people at two mosques in Christchurch, the Royal Australasian College of Physicians has called on the New Zealand Government to ban military style semi-automatic rifles in New Zealand.

President of the RACP, Associate Professor Mark Lane, who works at Auckland Hospital said, “Last week’s mass shootings in Christchurch were events of unimaginable horror. Members of our College in both Australia and New Zealand are appalled by these events.

In a nation where we least expected it, we have yet again seen a pattern already dreadfully evidenced in other countries; namely the capability of these semi-automatic weapons to kill and badly injure large numbers of people before law enforcement and emergency services are able to respond.”

RACP NZ President Jeff Brown who is based at Palmerston North Hospital said, “We are now left with shattered families and people who have lost loved ones, and many more caught up in the shootings who will be affected by life changing physical and psychological injury.”

Associate Professor Lane said there was simply no justifiable reason for members of the public to own these types of firearms.

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the New Zealand cabinet have said they have already made in principle decisions and will be announcing gun law reform in ten days’ time.”

”We are sure those decisions will be the right ones.”

Associate Professor Mark Lane
President, RACP

Dr Jeff Brown
NZ President, RACP