Author: Alexander Gillespie, Professor of Law, University of Waikato

The aftermath of one of the most undiplomatic – and notorious – White House meetings in recent history reveals a changed world. Having berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky for supposedly not wanting peace with Russia and failing to show sufficient gratitude to the United States, President Donald Trump has now paused all military aid to Ukraine. This equates to about 40% of the beleaguered nation’s military support. If the gap is not quickly covered by other countries, Ukraine will be severely compromised in its defence against the Russian invasion. This has happened while the Russian army is making slow but…

The rationale behind the coalition government’s proposed reform of New Zealand’s gun laws sounds reasonable on the face of it. Responsible gun owners, shooting ranges and clubs deserve a sensible legal framework and a viable financial footing. But the Arms (Shooting Clubs, Shooting Ranges, and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, currently before the justice select committee, arguably goes about it the wrong way. In particular, reducing compliance costs for clubs and ranges will not automatically increase memberships or make such organisations more financially viable. However, making club membership compulsory for gun owners would. Comparable jurisdictions such as Australia – and New…