Following the tragic massacre of 50 innocent people in Christchurch and years of inaction on gun reform, it's time for the government of New Zealand to change the law to protect the safety of everyone in this country.

In Christchurch we lost an innocence we took for granted and parliament needs to act to put in place laws to protect both New Zealand citizens and our international friends who are visiting Aotearoa. We take pride in the fact that New Zealand has a reputation for being a safe, friendly, and beautiful nation that doesn't struggle with violence and corruption in the way that many other nations do. This reputation is part of our Mana, who we are as a people, and we are, for the most part, proud of how we present ourselves and our values to the world. So when a tragedy like the one in Christchurch strikes we feel a sense of loss both through the physical toll it has taken on the victims and their families but also the impact on the trust we have in our own society.

The big issue we face isn't a matter of how this heinous act will affect tourist numbers or our economy, but how we, as the first nation of suffrage, the first to step on the roof of the world, and the first to split the atom, will respond in line with our own values. We claim to be a beacon of safety and personal freedom and now is the time to walk our talk. Lets not become like other developed nations who, when facing similar crises, try to follow their better judgement but are defeated by powerful forces lobbying for more of the same. We are better than that. This law change will never bring back those we lost but it will save others from becoming victims in the future.