Campfire » Data Breach Alert on Firearm Hand-in Scheme: UPDATE

Data Breach Alert on Firearm Hand-in Scheme: UPDATE

By Nicole McKee, COLFO

3rd Dec, 2019 Dec 3, 2019, 12:00 AM
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Yesterday we learned that sensitive information about tens of thousands of law abiding firearms owners was not kept secure by the Police. The stakes of this campaign have now been raised and I am writing to you to ask for your support.

We are concerned that information in a firearms register, such as what firearms you own, where they are, and how they are secured, could fall into the wrong hands. We’ve been in the media for months making exactly this point.

Until yesterday, the Police scoffed at us. The Police Association’s President even said we were “scaremongering” and a firearms register is no different from “registering your car, or your pets”.

But now we’ve been proved right; with the details of tens of thousands of licenced firearm owners being left online for anyone to access.

The Police Minister, Stuart Nash, and the Police spokespeople have said that only a single dealer could access the information. This is totally wrong. We have now verified that many, many more people accessed the data. And contrary to what the Police have said, it wasn't just firearms dealers.

And it wasn’t even a hack. It was incompetence by either the Police or a contractor they say is responsible.

Those affected are the decent people who in good faith handed in their firearms – and the Police didn’t even bother to make sure their personal and financial information was kept safe.

Sporting Shooters Association, the Government must now cancel the firearms register until cast-iron guarantees can be made about security (if that is even possible).

Yesterday’s events are game-changing. We need your support to fight against the bigwigs at the Police Association and within the Government who either don’t understand or don’t care about the risks of a register.

With your support, we can hold the Police to account and stop the Government creating the ultimate shopping list for criminals.

Thank you for your support.

Nicole McKee

Spokesperson

Fair and Reasonable Campaign

www.fairandreasonable.co.nz

PS: Unlike the Police, we take your privacy extremely seriously and will keep your financial support strictly confidential. Click here to make a donation.