Sydney-based government software firm Objective Corporation has won a five-year contract to set up a New Zealand police arms information system, as part of the nation’s tighter gun controls.
The company’s software will provide a secure digital database of all firearms transactions and legally owned firearms in NZ and is estimated to bring in $13 million for the ASX-listed company.
Objective reported revenue of A$52.7 million (NZ$57.7m) in the six months ended Dec 31, of which A$6.9m was in NZ.
The deal is part of NZ’s efforts to regulate the registration and licensing of firearms more tightly. They are held by about 250,000 people in NZ.
Those changes were introduced in the Arms Amendment Act 2019 in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attacks, which sought to remove semi-automatic firearms from circulation.
“The harrowing events of 2019 suddenly brought in to focus the need for reform and for an arms information system that will assist to underpin continuing freedoms that the people of Aotearoa have enjoyed for generations,” Objective global vice-president Ben Hobby said in a statement.
“We are extremely proud to be partnered with New Zealand Police to make this vision a reality.”
The government’s firearms reform programme included a three-month buy-back scheme, which saw more than 60,000 firearms and almost 300,000 prohibited parts and magazines collected, at a cost of more than $100m.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern is currently on tour in the United States, where she talked about gun control during her appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the wake of the recent fatal shooting in Texas.
The TV slot was set up as part of NZ’s efforts to revive US tourism interest.
Ardern secured a meeting with president Joe Biden at the White House next week, having delivered a keynote speech at Harvard commencement, where she talked about her Christchurch call for social media companies to urgently address their algorithms that have perpetuated disinformation and radicalisation.
