New Zealand's parliament has voted to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons following the Christchurch attacks. The gun reform bill passed 119-1 after the final reading in parliament. It is expected to become law within the next few days after receiving royal assent from the governor general.
PM Jacinda Ardern announced changes to the law after 50 people were killed last month by a suspected lone gunman at two mosques in Christchurch. Holding back tears, she told parliament on Wednesday that MPs were there "because of the victims and families". She said that when she had visited the injured in hospital none of them had had just one gunshot wound.
"They will carry disabilities for a lifetime and that's before you consider the psychological impact," she said.
"These weapons were designed to kill, and they were designed to maim and that is what they did on the 15th of March."
Australian Brenton Tarrant, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, faces 50 murder charges and 39 attempted murder charges.
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