Headlined as a trade mission, the Prime Ministers tour of the USA seems to be more focused on what she has done with respect to gun laws and climate change than trade.

The door opened for her as her arrival into the States coincided with a school massacre enabling her to wallow in her response to our own massacre. The continuation of further restrictions must be looming large in her mind as accolades are poured onto her like confetti at a wedding ceremony. While she packs the accolades into her suitcase and providing the NZ air force plane is airworthy again, what will meet her here at home is totally contrary to what she has been revered for.

Gang wars are literally raging throughout our cities, children are stealing cars and doing ram raids to steal cigarettes, and gang recruitment is outstripping police recruitment numbers.

Chairman of Sporting Shooters, Chaz Forsyth, says his organisation speaks for the 240,000 legal gun owners, and he is furious that the government continues to blame the innocent to hide the lack of control of the criminals.

“They are talking about every gun owner having to register their serial numbers with the police, anyone with an ounce of intelligence will tell you the first thing criminals will do is remove the serial numbers.”

He says reports that licensed gun owners are buying guns and supplying gangs doesn’t hold water either.

“We know that there are some licensed owners who are openly members of gangs, so yes that is partially right, remove their licenses and sort out that problem rather than add more compliance for the innocent.”

Forsyth says in his view, and that of a vast majority of the people he represents, the police and government have done a very good job of turning the general public against people who use their guns lawfully.

“Interestingly, when a shooter does well at the Olympics, everyone thinks that’s great, but shooting game for meat is anti-social, sadly it seems we are shouting against thunder”.