Making the case for gun law reform.

The gun death rates in New Zealand from suicide and homicide are considerably higher than in Australia. In 2005, these gun death rates per 100,000 people were .91 in Australia 1,2,3 and 1.3 in New Zealand.4 Are the higher death rates in New Zealand a result of your country’s relatively relaxed laws in relation to gun ownership? Apart from exceptions such as pistols, military-style semi automatic firearms and restricted weapons, New Zealand legislation does not require firearms to be registered. In Australia in 2005, 15 percent of homicide victims were killed with firearms. Of firearms that were used, 90 percent were unregistered, and only 13 percent of offenders were licensed to use the firearm. Over one third of the solved firearm homicides occurred between friends and acquaintances (35 percent) and a further 26 percent between intimate partners. Family members were responsible for 15 percent of firearm homicides, while fewer than seven percent involved strangers. Overall, women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner (48 percent) or a family member (23 percent). Of these, 19 percent of female victims were more likely to be killed with a firearm by a male partner.1 Similar findings have been described in New Zealand.5 Interpersonal violence is expensive. Economic losses are related to productivity. A single homicide was calculated to cost in 2004, on average, US$602,000 in Australia, and US$829,000 in New Zealand.6