NZDA HUNTS Manager Appointed to Firearms Safety Working Group
NZDA is proud to announce that Paddy Curtin, our National HUNTS Programme Manager, has been appointed to the Firearms Safety Community Trainer Working Group established by Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority (Police).
This national working group brings together community and technical experts from across the country to design and develop the future model for firearms safety education and community-based training.
Members were selected through an independent process that considered lived experience, community representation, cultural perspectives, and collaboration skills.
Paddy’s appointment recognises his decades of leadership in hunter education and firearms safety. Since 2008, he has trained hundreds of new hunters through NZDA’s HUNTS Programme and the Mountain Safety Council. With a background in farming, outdoor instruction, and formal training qualifications, Paddy’s extensive experience makes him an invaluable contributor.
“This appointment is another strong endorsement of NZDA’s leadership in firearms education,” said Gwyn Thurlow, NZDA CEO. “It ensures that the voice of responsible, ethical hunters and community instructors is represented as the Firearms Safety Authority reshapes training, licensing, and regulation.”
The timing is particularly significant, with major reforms to firearms regulation, licensing, and training currently underway.
NZDA is pleased to see its representatives contributing directly to these discussions to help ensure that education, safety, and community values remain at the heart of New Zealand’s firearms system.
Members of the Firearms Safety Community Trainer Working Group
The working group includes representatives from across the firearms, hunting, and training sectors:
- Anahera Hose – Director, Te Awanui a Rua Charitable Trust and Kaitiaki Guides Ltd, delivering Taiao education and accredited training across Aotearoa.
- Paddy Curtin – HUNTS Instructor and National Programme Manager, New Zealand Deerstalkers Association.
- Richie Cosgrove – Chief Operating Officer, Fish & Game New Zealand.
- Roger Duxfield – Executive Member, New Zealand Professional Hunting Guides Association and NZ Game Animal Council.
- Stu Tylee – Technical Director, Target Dynamics International.
The group will work alongside staff from Te Tari Pūreke – Firearms Safety Authority to co-design a modern, community based firearms safety training model. Its first meeting will take place in November 2025, with Terms of Reference to be finalised and published thereafter.
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