Nicole 'Guns' McKee

NZ Police want lobbyist turned minister fired.

“Do you know what's worth fightin' for
When it's not worth dyin' for?
Does it take your breath away
And you feel yourself suffocatin'?
Does the pain weigh out the pride
And you look for a place to hide?
Did someone break your heart inside?
You're in ruins”

Lyrics: Billie Joe Armstrong.

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If the NZ Police Association says that someone shouldn’t be deciding our gun laws that’s something we’d listen to, right?

But what if that person’s the one in charge? What if she’s the Minister for More Guns?

Because that’s exactly what’s happened with Police Association president, Chris Cahill writing an open letter to Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. A communication that raises concerns over the suitability of the Minister to undertake such a role, given her past actions and her exclusion of the association as she re-shapes our gun laws to reflect the interests of lobby groups.

Police Association president Chris Cahill wants responsibility handed to the Police Minister. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Nicole McKee - The Minister from the Gun Lobby

In his letter Cahill highlights that McKee played a leading role in stopping law changes which could have meant the March 15 terror attacks had, in his words, “a much different outcome”.

That’s a hell of an accusation. Surely anyone would question the involvement of a person whose actions may have contributed to that attack having anything to do with changing our gun laws. Forget putting the fox in charge of the hen house, this is like putting Casey “Ciggies” Costello in charge of tobacco reduction.

Cahill discuss the Police Association’s history of pushing for tougher gun controls:

“In 2016 the association secured a select committee hearing into firearms laws - a process driven by police officers' testimony to criminals increasingly arming themselves and being willing to pull the trigger.

Despite the committee's clear recommendations for law changes, then Police Minister Paula Bennett, under pressure from a gun lobby headed by Nicole McKee, ignored all significant changes proposed. The changes that should have been made could very well have meant a much different outcome for New Zealand on March 15, 2019.”