Steele,

Where are you?

Looking for more weakened gun laws?

Dear o sung wu,

You wrote; "I found the bloke relating the tale somewhat unconvincing. As if it was he alone, who was aware of the failures of the said Gun Club. Moreover, he believed he alone was the only one intelligent enough, to forewarn the authorities of it's (the Club's) alleged deficiencies, so he claimed?"

I don't know mate but he seemed like he was under a fair amount of stress and anguish that he hadn't got the club investigated. You should know that as of the 17th of last month it closed it's doors. You don't do that if you really don't have a case to answer.

It looks like he has given up his guns too.

"I don’t NEED, want or care about guns. I can happily live my life without them. I’ve lost everything I’ve ever cared about, so literally have nothing to loose in those regards.

It sickens me that I’ve been offered money for interviews.... anyone I have spoken to has been out of my wish for sensible change. Anyone that has offered me money has been told to give it to the victims.

Please respect that as a fella that has seen much death, that has been dragged through the mud and tried desperately for YEARS to stop the inevitable happening.... I’m done. I’m sick of the “black rifle culture”, I’m sick of all the online hero’s, I’m sick of the ill informed people that say I’m racist hahahaha. Seriously... my mrs is a Latina, my mates are asians and I speak a bunch of Melanesia’s languages!

Cont

Cont

I am heartbroken at the loss of life in Christchurch. So much so I’m going to find a quieter place to live out my days in peace. NZ has put me through HELL. I don’t want to be publicly praised or to promote myself. I want sensible changes made to ensure the safety of all people.

I’ve defended my firearms license several times. I’ve been frustrated with police in action so many times, the family court has torn my heart out and it’s driven me to the point I’ve spent thousands on councillors as well as doctors. I’ve lost friends at war, to suicide and in many other ways. At times I’ve envied those who’s suffering has ended. But each time I’ve been down I’ve asked for help, I’ve not hidden it, nor have I blamed others.

Guys like me who put their feet in their mouths are not the ones police need to worry about. It’s the guys that aren’t prepared to give up their guns when asked....

Peace be with everyone and although I appreciate the literally thousands of messages of support. Please respect that I’d like to be left alone to pat horses and fade into obscurity once more.

I tried. And I failed. People died and I feel like I should have done more.

I’m sorry. Remember this guy, not the shooter, not me."

That guy was Naeem Rashid who rushed the shooter losing his life in the process.

Hi there STEELEREDUX...

Thank you for your clearly articulated argument once again. Like many Aussies, I no longer wish to have a firearm, I don't need one nor do I want one. But there are many law-abiding Aussies who do have licensed F/A's and regularly pursue their preferred shooting sports as well.

I can 'FULLY' understand the emotive effects the Christchurch massacre has had, on a broad range of people, including many of those who have licensed guns, and who regularly partake in their chosen sport.

We're regularly assaulted with visions of the carnage we see on our roads, caused by M/V accidents. Yet there's no suggestion we should do away with cars - before you comment, I realize that's a pretty puerile statement to make, but it does have similarities when you think about it?

I share your views when you speak of the horror that occurred in the Christchurch Mosques. What measures can be taken to ensure it's not repeated? Tightening up on the existing Firearms laws is not the answer. Nor does the removal of certain types of F/A's., other than all automatic or some semi-automatic weapons. Such is the burgeoning world of the illegal/underground importation of guns, it's hard to say, which of them to target first.

Initially, I'd look to penalties. Those apprehended with illegal guns; or commit a crime with the commission of a gun; we should follow the lessons of some States in the US. An additional 10 years added to their head sentence? I don't know Steele. Nor do many of the cops I used to deal with either.

There's one overriding consideration we must consider. Guns in the foreseeable future, are here to stay. Any attempts to unilaterally disarm the entire population would only cause chaos and possible civil insurrection. Moreover, it would drive the gun trade further underground!

For a while at least, we just have to accept the proliferation of F/A's for a bit longer. As tragedies occur, there'll be more pressure placed on governments to take more positive action on these people and their guns; I guess?

Dear o sung wu,

You write;

“Initially, I'd look to penalties. Those apprehended with illegal guns; or commit a crime with the commission of a gun; we should follow the lessons of some States in the US. An additional 10 years added to their head sentence?”

I think you may be missing a very obvious point, until the the NZ shooter walked through the doors of the mosque he was a law abiding gun owner. He had purchased his weapons and ammunition legally, he was a member of a gun club and all his licence details were up to date.

And why do you think adding 10 years to his possible sentence would have made one iota of difference in this case?

By all means deal more harshly with the trade in illegal weapons but unless you are prepared to engage with the issue of the access to legal military-style weaponry then I'm not sure it can be regarded as doing so in good faith.

As to the argument about cars I'm afraid I find it rather tenuous. The way our society and our cities are structured motor vehicle transport remains a necessity to the vast majority of Australians. It is impossible to argue the same for guns where the ownership is mostly about the sport. Sure they are tools for some but not the vast majority of owners.

However I will make the note that we are restricted to the type of vehicles permitted on our roads, for instance driving an F1 in suburbia is not allowed. Further if you visit Melbourne recently there are many barriers designed to protect against a willful attack such as what happened in Bourke Street.

Finally I'm wondering why you are arguing about restrictions here when it is about NZ adopting Australia's gun laws. When we introduced ours they did not “cause chaos” and “civil insurrection”. Ultimately though NZ is a sovereign country and if they come together as a nation feeling that more strict gun laws are warranted I think we should let them do so without demeaning the effort.

Hi (again) STEELEREDUX...

Now you're cheery picking through my statements. What I said inter alia...'any attempts to unilaterally disarm the entire population would only cause chaos and possible insurrection...'. I'll re-state the obvious yet again, for your benefit - guns are here to stay! Many police & military members have their own (personal) weapons. All duly registered and licensed.

Any government, even a bi-partisan arrangement, who attempted to disarm every gun owner of his guns, would possibly amount to civil insurrection. Of that, I have no doubt whatsoever. And it would drive guns further underground, where authorities would have no idea how to interdict successfully?

And I would respectfully suggest I know a little bit more about this area of the gun debate than you Steele?

To be sure, guns kill. Equally, we'll no doubt have other Port Arthur's and Christchurch horrors. But do you think, even for a nanosecond, confiscating every gun held by legitimate license holders will stop it? Not a chance.

There's such a vast underground gun trade going on in Australia, and most other countries where restrictions of F/A's hold sway. I would suggest you don't blame the gun; instead, you should look at what's driving these 'nutters' into committing these atrocious crimes.