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About

Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc

  1. Business / Trading Name: New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Incorporated (commonly known as “COLFO”)

  1. Company Number: 819745

  1. NZBN (New Zealand Business Number): 9429043009237

  1. Entity Type: Incorporated Society

  1. Business Classification: Non-profit advocacy and lobby organisation representing licensed firearm owners

  1. Industry Category: Civic/Political Advocacy (Firearms ownership and shooting sports sector)

  1. Year Founded: 1996 (registered 14 August 1996)

  1. Addresses:

    • Registered Office: 21 Broderick Road, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037, New Zealand

    • Postal Address: P.O. Box 24020, Manners Street, Wellington 6142, New Zealand

  1. Website URL:

http://www.colfo.org.nz

  1. LinkedIn URL: No official LinkedIn page (organization does not maintain a LinkedIn profile; key individuals appear on LinkedIn in personal capacity)

  1. Company Hub NZ URL: Business directory profile: e.g. BizDB company profile (provides Companies Office registry details)

  1. NZ Companies Office URL: Incorporated Societies Register: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb1797ba9c6df99cd470&_timestamp=4026557343122276

  2. Social Media URLs:

  1. Ultimate Holding Company: None (independent non-profit association, not part of a corporate group)

  1. Key Shareholders: Not applicable (as an incorporated society, COLFO has members, not shareholders)

  1. Leadership:

Note: COLFO’s governance is volunteer-based. The Council’s board includes representatives from member associations (see #21) and has historically been led by figures from the firearms community. Past chairs include Michael Dowling (2019–2024) and Paul Clark (circa 2010s).

  1. Staff: COLFO is run by a small team of volunteers and does not appear to have salaried staff. Key roles (Chair, Spokesperson, Secretary) are filled by volunteer firearms community members. The group draws on its member associations’ leaders for expertise. (No full-time staff directory is publicly available.)

  1. Staff with Previous Government Roles: Few to none. COLFO’s current Chair (Brad Gallop) is noted as an NZDF Reserve officer, but no core staff are known to have been government officials prior to their COLFO involvement. (Notably, the “revolving door” has operated in reverse with a COLFO figure later entering government.)

  1. Past Employees/Officers: Significant former COLFO figures include:

    • Nicole McKee – Former COLFO spokesperson (2018–2020), who left to enter politics and became an ACT Party Member of Parliament in 2020.

    • Michael Dowling – Past COLFO Chair (2019–2024) ; he also served on the Minister’s Arms Advisory Group during his tenure.

    • Paul Clark – Past COLFO Chair (served mid-2010s); also co-owner of NZ Ammunition Company (firearms importer). Clark was a prominent voice against 2019 gun law changes.

    • Chaz Forsyth – Longtime member (Life Member of COLFO), representing NZ Deerstalkers Association in COLFO’s formation.

(These individuals raised COLFO’s profile and later moved into other roles, indicating the depth of experience within COLFO’s ranks.)

  1. Clients: Not applicable. COLFO is an advocacy group representing members rather than serving clients. Its “clients” are effectively its member organizations and the broader licensed firearms community.

  1. Industries/Sectors Represented: COLFO represents recreational shooters, hunters, collectors, dealers, and sporting firearm users across New Zealand. Its membership is an umbrella of 12 nationwide firearms organisations, including: the New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association (hunters), Pistol New Zealand (pistol shooters), Sporting Shooters Association of NZ, NZ Service Rifle Association, Airsoft Sports NZ, National Rifle Association of NZ (target shooters), NZ Antique & Historical Arms Association (collectors), International Military Arms Society, NZ Black Powder Shooters Federation, NZ Clay Target Association (shotgun sports), Target Shooting NZ (smallbore/air rifle), and others. These sectors span sporting and competition shooting, hunting and conservation, historical arms collecting, and recreational firearm use.

  1. Publicly Disclosed Engagements:

    • Parliamentary Submissions: COLFO has frequently submitted on firearms legislation, e.g. to the select committee on the Arms (Prohibited Firearms) Amendment Bill in 2019 and on the Arms Legislation Bill 2020, advocating for its members’ views to be heard despite expedited timeframes.

    • Litigation: In 2020, COLFO (under the “Fair and Reasonable” campaign banner) took a High Court judicial review action challenging aspects of the post-Christchurch gun law changes (specifically the ban on certain ammunition without compensation). This legal engagement was public and high-profile, although ultimately unsuccessful in overturning the law.

    • Ministerial Advisory Group: COLFO’s then-Chair Michael Dowling was appointed to the statutory Minister’s Arms Advisory Group (MAAG) in 2021 and re-appointed in 2023, a public role advising the government on firearms policy.

    • OIA Disclosures: In 2024, Official Information Act releases (reported by media) revealed communications between COLFO and the Associate Justice Minister, indicating COLFO’s input on upcoming firearms policy. These interactions became public through media scrutiny rather than proactive disclosure.

    • Press Releases and Media: COLFO regularly issues press statements (often via Scoop.co.nz) declaring its stance on government proposals. It has openly lobbied through media for changes (e.g. calling out flaws in police firearms administration and opposing new regulations). Its spokespeople have appeared on national news and talk shows to represent firearm owners’ perspectives.

  1. Affiliations: COLFO is connected to international and regional pro-firearms networks. It is a member of the Pacific Shooting Sports Forum and the World Forum on the Future of Shooting Sports, aligning it with global gun-rights advocacy efforts. Domestically, COLFO collaborates with its 12 member associations (see #21) and maintains dialogue with the Police Firearms Safety Authority. It is essentially regarded as the New Zealand counterpart to overseas gun lobby groups (drawing comparisons to the NRA by observers). On the regulatory side, COLFO representatives have sat alongside public safety advocates (like Gun Control NZ) on advisory panels, reflecting a degree of formal affiliation in policy discussions.

  1. Sponsorships / Collaborations: COLFO asserts it is independently funded by members and does not accept money from firearm manufacturers or foreign lobby groups. It collaborates with local businesses for promotions (for example, running member prize draws with gear donated by an NZ outdoor equipment company). COLFO has partnered with member clubs and the Deerstalkers Association on campaigns – in 2023, NZDA branches presented COLFO with funds raised to support its advocacy. There is no record of COLFO sponsoring political events; rather, it focuses collaboration on community events (such as sports shoots or training seminars) and information campaigns (e.g. co-hosting public meetings on firearms law changes in coordination with member clubs).

  1. Events: COLFO itself does not frequently hold public events beyond its Annual General Meetings and internal meetings of member organizations. However, it has organized community meetings and workshops to brief gun owners on law changes and to encourage submissions during consultations. After the 2019 law reforms, COLFO’s “Fair and Reasonable” campaign held public roadshow meetings to rally licensed firearm owners (e.g. encouraging turnout at select committee hearings and advising on the buyback) – these were often done in collaboration with local shooting clubs. COLFO also participates in firearms conferences or events hosted by its member associations (for instance, presenting at NZ Deerstalkers Association conferences). It does not appear to host large-scale events or rallies on its own, preferring to leverage the networks of its member clubs for outreach.

  1. Political Donations: There is no public record of COLFO (as an entity) making donations to political parties or candidates. As a non-profit incorporated society, direct political contributions would be unusual. Key individuals associated with COLFO have, however, aligned with political movements – for example, COLFO’s former spokesperson Nicole McKee ran as a candidate for the ACT Party (which has benefited from strong pro-firearm owner support, though no direct donation from COLFO is reported). Some member organizations or figures in the firearms community may privately support friendly politicians (e.g. anecdotal support for the ACT and NZ First parties, which adopted gun-owner-friendly positions), but no disclosed donations by COLFO have been found in New Zealand Electoral Commission records or media reports.

  1. Controversies: COLFO has been involved in multiple controversies:

    • Post-Christchurch Criticism: COLFO was heavily criticised for resisting gun law reforms after the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings. Its campaign to delay and modify the ban on semi-automatic firearms was seen by some as obstructive during a national crisis. COLFO’s calls for more consultation were condemned by the Police Association as “standard stalling tactics of the gun lobby”.

    • Alleged NRA Influence: Questions have been raised about whether COLFO drew inspiration or support from the US NRA. COLFO denied receiving any funding or direct assistance from the NRA (aside from a post-Christchurch “letter of condolence”), but police union officials noted that COLFO’s rhetoric and lobbying methods mirrored NRA strategies and that NRA representatives had visited NZ in the past. This created public suspicion, although no concrete evidence of NRA funding has emerged.

    • Information Accuracy Disputes: In 2024, COLFO was accused of spreading misinformation about a police officer “hacking” the new firearms registry. The New Zealand Police Association publicly called out COLFO’s spokesman Hugh Devereux-Mack for making “blatantly incorrect” claims – the officer’s misconduct case occurred before the registry existed, a fact confirmed by an official report. COLFO nonetheless used the allegation to undermine confidence in the registry, drawing condemnation from police representatives for “not letting facts get in the way” of its campaign. The incident forced a NZ Herald story based on COLFO’s claims to be retracted for inaccuracy.

    • Relationship with Government: The close ties between COLFO and certain politicians have been contentious. Critics point to Associate Justice Minister (and ex-COLFO lobbyist) Nicole McKee’s sympathetic dealings with COLFO as a conflict of interest (e.g. giving COLFO advance notice of policy announcements, per leaked communications). Gun control advocates argue this proximity amounts to regulatory capture of the firearms policy process.

    • Public Spats: COLFO leaders have occasionally used combative language – e.g. a COLFO-affiliated ammunition dealer (Paul Clark) warned of potential “revolution” by gun owners over tough laws – which drew public alarm. COLFO has also lodged complaints about media coverage (contacting the Press Council to dispute how firearms issues were reported), though these incidents are less publicized.

  1. Other Information of Note:

    • Membership Composition: COLFO’s structure as a coalition of organizations is unique – it amplifies the voice of recreational hunters, competitive shooters, and collectors by uniting them. The RNZ has described COLFO as “an incorporated society made up of 12 organisations involved in the use, ownership and regulation of firearms”. This breadth gives it credibility as speaking for the firearms community at large (including an estimated 240,000+ licensed firearm owners in NZ) and is often cited in its literature.

    • Campaign Branding: COLFO’s advocacy efforts post-2019 operated under the slogan “Fair and Reasonable”, presenting itself as seeking balanced gun laws. The Fair and Reasonable campaign was essentially a COLFO initiative, which at times issued its own press releases in 2020. This branding aimed to appeal beyond gun owners, though critics saw it as rebranding the gun lobby.

    • Independence Claims: COLFO asserts it remains independent from the firearms industry and foreign lobbies, being funded “totally via our membership”. However, the involvement of gun retailers and importers in COLFO’s leadership (e.g. past chairman Clark) has drawn scrutiny about its true independence from industry interests.

    • Firearms Safety Stance: COLFO often highlights its support for responsible firearms ownership and safety training. It partnered with Police in the past on the now-defunct Police Community Advisory Forum and supports training programs via member clubs. This dual role – both lobbying against restrictions and promoting safety – is part of COLFO’s public-facing strategy to appear as a responsible stakeholder rather than an absolutist gun lobby.

    • Public Perception: COLFO’s profile rose significantly after 2019. It transformed from a relatively low-profile federation (since the 1990s) into a frequent news commentator on gun policy. It is now widely recognized as New Zealand’s primary gun lobby – a position that brings both influence and public relations challenges (having to defend gun owners’ interests under the shadow of a tragic mass shooting).

  1. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: No. There is no record of the Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc receiving COVID-19 wage subsidies (likely because it has no salaried staff). A government search of wage subsidy recipients shows no entry for COLFO, and as a volunteer-run entity with few or no employees, it presumably did not apply for pandemic wage support. (If any administrative contractor was supported, it was not publicly listed, as organizations with 3 or fewer staff were omitted from the public register.)

Sources:

[1] Challenge to gun laws dismissed in High Court, RNZ News, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/419910/challenge-to-gun-laws-dismissed-in-high-court

[2] ABOUT | COLFO NZ (Mission & History section), COLFO (official website), https://www.colfo.org/about

[3] COLFO: The strategic landscape and initial manoeuvres, New Zealand Deerstalkers’ Association, https://www.deerstalkers.org.nz/resources/publications/news/colfo-the-strategic-landscape-and-initial-manoeuvres/

[4] New Zealand Council Of Licensed Firearms Owners Incorporated (company info), BizDB, https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429043009237/

[5] Arms Act Rewrite Must Reduce Racism In Firearms Licensing – COLFO (Press Release), Scoop News, https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2502/S00617.htm

[6] HOME | COLFO NZ (Homepage content), COLFO (official website), https://www.colfo.org/

[7] Gun owners shocked at short submission time on firearms law change, RNZ News, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/386192/

[8] New Zealand Council Of Licensed Firearms Owners Incorporated (company info), BusinessCheck, https://www.businesscheck.co.nz/ltd/9429043009237/

[9] New Zealand Council of Licensed Firearms Owners (COLFO) – InfoPages, Scoop InfoPages, https://info.scoop.co.nz/COLFO

[10] Christopher Luxon, Post on firearms policy promises, LinkedIn (public post), https://www.linkedin.com/posts/christopher-luxon-bb701b195_the-nz-deerstalkers-association-club-night-activity-7074334932315107329-jkKs (retrieved via LinkedIn)

[11] COLFO – Facebook Page (@colfonz) (About and posts), Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/colfonz/

[12] New Zealand Council Of Licensed Firearms Owners (NZ) – Company Number 819745, NZ Companies Office (via BizDB), https://www.bizdb.co.nz/company/9429043009237/ (company registry details)

[13] Request to review gun law changes dismissed, Otago Daily Times/Star News (via RNZ), https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-national/request-review-gun-law-changes-dismissed

[14] Police Association calls out COLFO on deliberate firearms misinformation, NZ Police Association, https://www.policeassn.org.nz/news/police-association-calls-out-colfo-on-deliberate-firearms-misinformation (04 Dec 2024)

[15] Nicole McKee was spokesperson for COLFO – When Politics Gets In The Pocket Of The Gun Lobby, Scoop News (Ian Powell opinion), https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL2501/S00020.htm

[16] When Politics Gets In The Pocket Of The Gun Lobby, Political Bytes (Ian Powell blog mirror), https://politicalbytes.blog/2025/01/15/when-politics-gets-in-the-pocket-of-the-gun-lobby/

[17] New Zealand shooters’ lobby gearing up to fight Jacinda Ardern’s gun laws…, ABC News (Australia), https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-24/new-zealand-gun-law-reform-christchurch-shooting/10933132

[18] Derek Cheng, In the pocket of the gun lobby? Firearms Minister’s messages revealed, NZ Herald, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/in-the-pocket-of-the-gun-lobby-firearms-minister-nicole-mckees-messages-with-gun-owners-group-revealed/LOHV3HGCQFGG7JUFTZUHQA73JM/ (21 Sep 2024)

[19] Council of Licensed Firearms Owners Inc – CAB Directory, Citizens Advice Bureau NZ, https://www.cab.org.nz/community-directory/KB00008265 (contact listing)

[20] Gun dealer questions necessity of police raids to seize firearms, RNZ News, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/392696/

[21] Minister’s Arms Advisory Group (MAAG) – Member biographies, NZ Police (Official Publication), https://www.police.govt.nz/about-us/publication/ministers-arms-advisory-group-maag (Oct 2023)

[22] COLFO News Issue 2 (mention of Paul Clark at NZDA conference 2016), National Rifle Association of NZ, http://nranz.com (archived PDF)

[23] Nicole McKee – ACT New Zealand profile, ACT Party, https://www.act.org.nz/nicole-mckee (biography noting COLFO role)

[24] COVID-19 Wage Subsidies – Employer Search, Ministry of Social Development, https://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/newsroom/2020/covid-19/covid-19-wage-subsidy-employer-search.html (no COLFO listing found)

[25] Federated Farmers back gun law clampdown; gun lobby mobilises, NZ Farmer/Stuff (Miles Anderson quote), via ABC News story references.

[26] High Court decision embarrasses Govt, Fair and Reasonable (COLFO) press release, Scoop (25 June 2020), via Scoop InfoPages

[27] Firearms Owners Victims Of Police Error, Fair and Reasonable (COLFO) press release, Scoop (18 June 2020), via Scoop InfoPages

[28] COLFO (@COLFO_NZ) / X (Twitter profile), Twitter, https://twitter.com/COLFO_NZ (bio and tweets about consultation guide)

[29] New Zealand Deerstalkers Association post – Chaz Forsyth Life Membership, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/new-zealand-deerstalkers-association_chaz-forsyth-life-member-colfo-activity-6915149652057573376-X8kz (noting COLFO life membership)

[30] Firearms registry a “shopping list for criminals” claim, Re: News (interview with COLFO rep), https://renews.co.nz/gun-reform-hear-two-sides-of-the-argument (June 2021)

[31] Gun law reform effort ‘non-democratic’ and ‘secretive’, critics say, Reddit thread referencing COLFO and law changes, https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/c0h6dy/gun_law_reform_effort_nondemocratic_and_secretive/ (paraphrasing COLFO’s criticisms)

[32] Police must come clean on gang access to firearms, COLFO press release (1 July 2020), Scoop

[33] Auditor-General: NZ Police failed to collect many banned guns, Auditor-General Report coverage, RNZ (7 May 2020) – referenced by COLFO .

[34] Members’ views on Arms Amendment Bill, Justice Committee submissions summary (2020) – noting volume of submissions (13k+) [Parliamentary Paper].

[35] Is it time for Luxon to sack firearms minister Nicole McKee?, Democracy Project (Bryce Edwards), https://democracyproject.nz/2023/11/21/is-it-time-for-luxon-to-sack-firearms-minister-nicole-mckee/ (Nov 2023).

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz

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