As a way of preventing a similar deadly attack that claimed at least 50 lives in New Zealand mosque attack, the prime minister Jacinda Ardern said military-style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles will be banned.
Ms Ardern also announced a ban on high-capacity magazines and parts that can modify a gun to produce semi-automatic or automatic fire.
It comes less than a week after a white supremacist gunman used such weapons to kill 50 people at two Christchurch mosques.
Ms Ardern said the attack showed the weakness of New Zealand’s gun laws.
“I absolutely believe there will be a common view amongst New Zealanders, those who use guns for legitimate purposes and those who have never touched one, that the time for the mass and easy availability of these weapons must end. And today they will,” she said.
The PM said the attacker had mainly used two assault rifles in the massacre, purchased legally and “enhanced using 30-plus-round magazines”.
“While the modification of these guns was illegal, it was done easily through a simple online purchase,” said Ms Ardern
The law is expected to be formally in place by 11 April but a temporary measure has been immediately brought in to stop anyone rushing out to buy the weapons.
It means semi-automatics and assault rifles now require a special police permit to be purchased.
However, Ms Ardern warned bluntly there was “no point applying for such a permit” and told gun dealers sales should “essentially now stop”.
A buy-back scheme will compensate people who currently own the weapons legally, at a total estimated cost of NZ$100m-$200m (£52m-£104m), a price Ms Ardern said was well worth paying.
Owners are being told to register online so that police can arrange to collect and destroy them.
There is also an amnesty for people who illegally own the banned firearms.
“We just want the guns back,” said the prime minister.
Penalties for owning the banned guns are also set to be increased from the current three years in jail or maximum $4000 fine.
New Zealand, with a population of less than five million people, has an estimated 1.2-1.5 million guns. Around 13,500 are military-style semi-automatic weapons (MSSAs).