Why New Zealand's gun laws are being reformed

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced that changes to the country's gun laws following the Christchurch massacre will be announced within 10 days.

"The gun laws in New Zealand need to change," she said. "Regardless of what activity may or may not have happened with gun retailers, they will change."

Her remarks followed the mass shootings at two Christchurch mosques on Friday that left 50 people dead.

Ardern told journalists on Monday that the gun law reform was intended to make the country safer.

So how big is the gun problem in New Zealand? Experts say that before the attacks, it wasn't even a major issue. That's because the country was considered one of the safest in the world.

In 2017, the country's murder rate reached a 40-year low, with just 35 cases. But despite being a relatively peaceful society, possession of guns has been on the rise.

The number of privately owned firearms rose from just above 900,000 in 2005 to around 1.5 million in 2017, in a country with a population of around 4.6 million. This figure equates to about one gun for every three people.

Observers point out that the majority of these weapons are owned by hunters and farmers and the gun laws are considered more relaxed than many other countries.

Potential gun owners in New Zealand must be over the age of 16 and pass a police background check and each gun license applicant also requires a third party character reference. Surprisingly, there is no provision for firearm registration.

So, after obtaining a license, the owner can even order guns online, which is what seems to have happened in the Christchurch case.

Another big loophole is the absence of limits on the number of guns. Licensed owners are permitted to possess any number of shotguns or rifles. They are also free to possess any quantity of ammunition.

And how about other countries?

In neighboring Australia, the rules are more stringent. New applicants undergo thorough background checks and present a "justifiable reason" for ownership, and self-defense isn't a valid one.

In Japan, buyers need to accurately hit a target and demonstrate safe handling procedures. Austria requires different steps to get a hunting rifle, including passing a written exam and shooting test.

The only big exception seems to be the U.S., where the applicant can pass an instant background check and be eligible to buy a gun.