New Zealand gun owners hand over their weapons in first gun buyback event

One hundred-and-sixty-nine Christchurch gun owners handed over their weapons at the Government’s first buyback event.

A total of 224 guns were handed during the five-hour event, which started at 10am.

It comes four months after the country’s worst peacetime mass shooting, which killed 51 people and injured dozens in attacks on two mosques in the city.

The event today was one of 258 that will run across the country over the next three months.

On top of more than 200 guns, owners handed in 217 parts and accessories – with the total compensation cost coming to $433,682.

Acting Canterbury District Commander Mike Johnson said everything ran smoothly, and firearms owners' attitude towards this process was outstanding.

"It's been a very positive experience, we're really proud of what we've achieved today."

Johnson said people were queuing up outside the venue from 8.30 – more than an hour before the event was set to begin.

"We opened early to facilitate the public coming through – and they went right through to past 3 o'clock. The engagement from the public has been stunning."

He said although there was a bit of a wait at times, people had a phenomenal attitude.

Parliament passed the gun reform law - the first substantial changes to New Zealand’s gun laws in decades - by a vote of 119 to 1 in April.

The new laws bar the circulation and use of most semi-automatic firearms, parts that convert firearms into semi-automatics, magazines over a certain capacity and some shotguns.

With a population of just under 5 million and an estimated total of 1.5 million firearms, New Zealand ranks 17th in the world in terms of civilian firearm ownership, the Small Arms Survey shows.