A large majority of New Zealanders support stronger gun laws and limits on the number of firearms owned, following Australia's lead after the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
A Horizon survey conducted for Gun Control NZ finds:
68% of adults in New Zealand support further strengthening, with only 15% opposed. A majority of those with firearms in their households (54%) are in favour of strengthening the laws, with only 24% opposed.
The survey also shows that 70% of adults in New Zealand support limiting the number of firearms that a person can own, with only 13% opposed.
This policy is also supported by a majority of respondents who have firearms in their households (53%) with only 11% opposing it.
Australian state and federal governments are introducing gun law reforms in the wake of the Bondi terror attack, including limiting the number of firearms a person can own, banning the import of particular types of guns and parts and tightening eligibility for firearms licenses.
“New Zealanders clearly understand that our laws are not strong enough to protect us from a Bondi-style attack”, says Nik Green, co-founder of Gun Control NZ.
“Parliament is currently considering new firearms laws for New Zealand. This is the perfect opportunity for MPs to heed the will of the people and learn from the tragedy in Australia,” says Philippa Yasbek, co-founder of Gun Control NZ. “We urge the Government and Members of Parliament to improve public safety by limiting the number of firearms that license holders can own.”
The research was commissioned by Gun Control NZ and undertaken by Horizon Research. The results are based on an online survey of 1,051 adults in New Zealand conducted from 20 to 27 February 2026.
Research method
Before answering the question on strengthening gun laws, respondents were told:
At Syndey’s Bondi Beach on December 14, 2025, two gun men killed 15 people and injured a further 40.
In response to the terror attack, state and federal governments in Australia are making a number of changes to their gun laws.
These include limiting the number of firearms a person can own, and banning the import of particular guns and parts, such as silencers, large capacity magazines, and some firearms that can be reloaded quickly.
Sample:
An online survey of adults living in New Zealand aged 18 and older.
Sample sources
Members of the nationwide Horizon Research panels and a third-party panel (used for source diversity) responded to this survey.
Fieldwork dates
20 to 27 February 2026
Sample size
1,051 adults overall.
Weighting
The total sample is weighted on age, ethnicity, gender, region, personal income and Party vote 2023 to match the New Zealand adult population.
Maximum predicted margin of error
±3% at the 95% confidence level.
Population estimates in the report
These are based on New Zealand adult population from 2023 Census = 3,865,235. All estimates rounded to nearest thousand.
