Are these shootings a firearms problem or the result of a societal gang related pandemic?

Our government has successfully controlled and kept us safe from the COVID pandemic by testing everyone that sneezes, tracing everyone's movements and ensuring that people who enter this country are tested on arrival and spend 2 weeks in managed isolation or quarantine.

As a country (a team of 5 million), from politicians through the media and down to Jo & Josephine Public, we have united to fight COVID 19. Any slip-ups have been hunted down and publicised widely by the media and the call for ‘heads to roll’ has been very audible.

www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/another-house-shot-at-in-south-Auckland-the-fifth-incident-in-two-days

www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/police-presence-in-tara-Auckland-after-third-house-shot-at-in-under-24-hours

So why is it that the drug/illegal firearm use pandemic (virus) has not been treated the same way? Are we, as public, feeling safer now because of recent and pending firearms law changes targeting only the law-abiding, highly vetted firearms user or collector?

“New Zealand is waiting to see if politicians and the media can act as decisively and effectively against the drug and violence pandemic as it has against COVID 19.”

Are we as public prepared to accept comments without real facts and evidence from the Police Association, the Police and politicians that the given reason for this drug/illegal firearm use pandemic is because the “bad guy's guns get stolen from the good guys”.

• When will politicians and the media start focusing on the drug and illegal firearm smuggling through the ports?
• When will politicians and the media notice that gang members and their associates have infiltrated the ports because they are on to a good thing?
• When will the government increase the scanning of containers at all ports up from the current 2% so as to bust the importation of drugs and firearms?
• When will we as a society demand that this drug and gang ‘virus’ (with its associated violence and negative impact on children and families) be treated as seriously as the COVID virus?
• When will politicians start spending money in places where it will make a difference in keeping us all safer from illegal drugs and firearms?
• When will the media start calling out inaction in cutting off the illegal smuggling of drugs and firearms?

When will the PM put in to practice her ‘we are the Government for all NZers’ promise by prioritising the stopping of criminals from their relatively unimpeded access to illegal imports ahead of what feels like a Government and Police led disarmament goal?

New Zealand is waiting to see if politicians and the media can act as decisively and effectively against the drug and violence pandemic as it has against COVID 19.

Are you prepared to hold your breath as we wait?

I can sense like me you might just be shaking your head right now!!

Do your own thinking to draw your own conclusions?

Graeme