New Zealand Deerstalkers' Association

COLFO's Address to Conference - John Howat

Chair, delegates, NZDA Members, guests.

 

I apologise for not being here to speak in person but I am currently in New York attending the United Nations Third Biennial Meeting of States to consider the implementation of the 2001 Programme of Action to Prevent Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in all of its aspects. (Please note that the UN term ‘Small Arms and Light Weapons’ (SALW) includes all forms of firearms designed for hunting and target shooting as well as those military small arms that are hand portable) COLFO has been accepted as an adviser member of the NZ Delegation attending this conference.

 

Most here today will be aware of the United Nations involvement with international and national firearms controls and laws. Most will also realise that the laws the United Nations seeks to impose on the trade in firearms and ammunition, and on the possession and use of SALW, are restrictive. They are rules that will impose costs and limitations on our ability to possess and use firearms for the purposes we here in New Zealand regard both as traditional and as a part of our heritage, - the practices of Hunting, of Target Shooting, and of Collecting.

 

It is not that the UN has specifically sought to restrict us; it is because their representatives have little exposure to communities such as ours. They are generally exposed to communities in which only Government agencies are permitted to possess firearms or communities in which the possession and use of firearms by civilians is very limited and staunchly controlled.

 

They are also exposed to an enormous amount of lobbying from numerous societies and organisations we generally refer to as being “anti-gun” Those organisations encompass a wide range of views but my experiences indicate that the majority of them are feminist orientated and are organised by individuals who create careers out of lobbying. Given the opportunities for grants and payments that are available from Governments, Trusts, Foundations, educational institutes and the like, it is not difficult to create a career out of ‘gun control’ issues. Focusing on emotions in preference to facts aids the flow of grant monies and relating applications to ‘women and children as victims’ is a good way to ensure finances.

 

An organisation entitled IANSA – the International Network against Small Arms is the leader and main organiser of this process. Here is a snippet from their website:

 

"The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) is the global movement against gun violence - a network of 800 civil society organisations working in 120 countries to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW). IANSA seeks to make people safer from gun violence by securing stronger regulation on guns in society and better controls on arms exports. It represents the voices of civil society on the international stage, for example in the UN process on small arms, and draws on the practical experience of its members to campaign for policies that will protect human security.

IANSA is composed of a wide range of organisations concerned with small arms, including policy development organisations, national gun control groups, women's groups, research institutes, aid agencies, faith groups, survivors, human rights and community action organisations."

Opposition to this large and effective organisation consists of a small number of responsible firearms user organisations, who are amateur and self-funded. At this time there are less than 10 pro-gun civil society organisations recognised as NGOs (Non Government Organisations) by the United Nations. In short there are eight hundred well organised and publicly funded organisations seeking restrictions on the possession and use of firearms, countered by around ten organisations trying to argue for the status quo and relying on the facts.

COLFO has always believed that to be able to negotiate one must first be in the tent where the negotiations are taking place. Being outside in the rain puts one at a noticeably significant disadvantage.

 

For that reason COLFO sought recognition as a UN recognised NGO.

 

A great deal of effort and voluntary work went into this over a period of months. Dianne’s contribution was extensive and an invaluable part of that effort as was the support we received from New Zealand’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations.

 

Our application was questioned and challenged a number of times and when it looked as though our efforts were to be in vain we took the decision to employ a US based attorney.

A few weeks ago we were advised that our application had been endorsed by the NGO Committee and referred to the ECOSOC (UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs) Committee for ratification.

 

This is a huge honor for the organisations who are collectively COLFO, and as you know the NZDA is a founder and major member.

 

Recognition will put a New Zealand NGO ‘in the tent’ where the decisions are made. It gives New Zealand’s responsible firearms community the opportunity to attend UN meetings where we can contribute to the gun laws that will ultimately become a part of future UN protocols, agreements and treaties. The significance of that should never be underestimated.

 

On a different matter;

 

COLFO was created in 1996 at a time when there were very serious international pressures for restrictive gun laws. Here in New Zealand all of Parliament except the ACT party supported more restrictions on the possession and use of firearms.

 

Against those odds COLFO succeeded in the seemingly impossible task of ‘holding the line’ and the entire restrictive and costly proposals have remained in the cupboard through the elections of 1996, 1999, 2002, and 2005. It appears that they will remain in the cupboard through the election of 2008.

 

Throughout that time every section of New Zealand’s responsible firearms-owning community has benefited from COLFO’s efforts. But our success, which is recognised more outside of New Zealand than within, is now starting to work against us.

 

Consider that a hunter or target shooter who was in his late teens when COLFO was formed is now in his early thirties. He has never been concerned that the rules may change because he has never experienced any laws other than those of today. In fact he is unaware of the challenges that exist and he is very likely to be questioning the need for an organisation such as COLFO.

I have often mentioned that freedoms have a cost. For most of the years the annual COLFO affiliation fee that applies to members who are affiliated via a member organisation has been around the price of one packet of .22Rf ammunition. These days the cost is about the price of driving three kilometers, and it is less than the cost of either a well known hamburger, or a packet of .22 ammo.

 

Thank you for listening.

 

I wish the NZDA the very best for this conference and I thank all of you for your continued support for reasonable gun laws.

 

John Howat

Chair

NZ Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc.

 

July 2008.