1,000 signatures reached
To: Parliament of New Zealand
Regulate firearms advertising in New Zealand
We ask the New Zealand government to regulate the advertising of firearms in New Zealand.
Why is this important?
We are concerned about the way gun advertising is currently managed in New Zealand. Gun City has prominent billboards throughout our major cities. These advertisements are depicting gun use as a fun family activity using quotes such as “get the family outside”.
This type of advertising is the first step to the normalisation of gun ownership.
In light of the recent events in Christchurch we ask that an immediate moratorium on firearms advertising is put in place. It is highly inappropriate to see these images at a time when the nation is grieving from a horrific gun-related incident.
We acknowledge that many New Zealanders have legitimate reasons to own guns for farming, hunting or sporting purposes, however we want the government to take steps to ensure that the advertising of all firearms including semi-automatic weapons are properly controlled.
We believe firearms advertising should be regulated in exactly the same way as tobacco or any other harmful product.
We want this country to be a safe place for all New Zealanders. We don’t want guns to be a normal part of New Zealand society.
Driving past billboards advertising guns just feels wrong to so many people. Children were among the innocent victims of the recent massacre in Christchurch. It is distressing and a major concern that children are exposed to this type of advertising.
Principle 1 of the Advertising Standards Code states that “Advertisements must be prepared and placed with a due sense of social responsibility to consumers and to society.” It goes on to say: “Advertisements must not contain anything that is indecent, or exploitative, or degrading, or likely to cause harm, or serious or widespread offence, or give rise to hostility, contempt, abuse or ridicule.”
We believe that the current series of advertisements for Gun City is currently causing widespread offence and can be regulated under this section of the code.
We ask for regulation of all firearms advertising under this section of the Advertising Standards Code.