Mr Wakefield, who was born in New Zealand, said his birth country missed an opportunity when it failed to follow Australia's example on gun reform following the Port Arthur massacre.
"An expert testified before parliament in 2016 that it was only a matter of time before a mass shooting occurred in New Zealand," he told SBS News. Mr Wakefield, who was born in New Zealand, said experts have long warned New Zealand of the risk of an attack. "An expert testified before parliament in 2016 that it was only a matter of time, before a mass shooting occurred in NZ," he said.
"About 40 years ago we had an attack in a rural community in Aramoana but that was not, as this was, politically motivated and far fewer people died then."With Australia's gun laws dramatically changing following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, many have questioned why New Zealand has not followed suit earlier.A licence must be obtained, however New Zealand is one of the few countries where most individual weapons don’t have to be registered.
Gun laws can only do so much. Illegal guns come in all the time to our Countries by boats along our vast ocean borders. Determined crazies will switch to massive car bombs or pressure cooker bombs.
Good. It has worked for Australia so far and I think may have been one of the reasons the shooter chose NZ instead of his home country to commit the terrorist act.
A very powerful speech from a powerful woman calling out hate. jacindaardern is a shining example to everyone here in Australia on the proper style of leadership.
Right on cue this is now a gun debate. No matter what the gun laws were at the time, this guy would have commited the same crime and killed just as many ppl. Unless you totally ban firearm ownership to the public and 100% eliminate illegal weapons you can't stop acts like this!
This is what action looks like. No more passive words of condolences PrayersForNewZealand
co2ppm Its a stitch up, the cover-up has begun.
Good. There is absolutely NO justification for automatic weapons in general public, farming or other use outside a war zone Auspol
what empty gestures and words... if you really want to help. stop feeding and participating with the US military that kills Muslims in their own homelands .
Here we go again. In the panty-pissing frenzy to appear to be doing something, the Left wants to limit the freedoms of the innocent. She is too dumb to see that it will foster resentment, quickly turning to hate. This is like limiting car ownership after a hit-and-run.
So many words..... as any pollie uses too placate. actions, not words, are more reassuring
Criminals will always get guns. This should NOT be an opportunity for Marxists to further deny the rights of sensible, law-abiding people. We need LESS government in our lives.