New Zealand Terror Attacks: Government to ban sales of semi-automatic and assault rifles

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03:20

The killings at two Christchurch mosques last week have sparked a national debate over New Zealand's lax gun laws. And now, the government has decided to impose a ban on semi-automatic and assault rifles. The news comes as thousands of mourners attended the funerals of some of the victims on Thursday. Owen Poland reports from Auckland.

Victims of last week's deadly massacre were buried in two New Zealand cities on Thursday. In Christchurch, 14-year-old student Sayyad Milne and 24-year-old Tariq Omar were laid to rest.

And in Auckland, it was 59-year-old Hafiz Patel – a retired Fijian priest - who was visiting relatives in Christchurch when he was gunned down.

MOHAMMED FARUK FRIEND OF HAFIZ PATEL "He was really a people's people you know. He did a lot for the community, a lot for the people with no homes, like the young boys."

The burials coincided with the Government's announcement of an immediate ban on the ownership of military-style semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles as well as the large capacity magazines that caused so much carnage in Christchurch.

JACINDA ARDERN NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER "We will ban parts that cause a firearm to generate semi-automatic, automatic, or close to automatic gunfire. In short, every semi-automatic weapon used in the terrorist attack on Friday will be banned in this country."

OWEN POLAND AUCKLAND "In addition to the immediate ban on the ownership of military-style semi-automatic weapon, the government has announced an amnesty in which it has urged gun owners to hand these weapons in so that they can never ever again be used in act of violence."

Around seven thousand people own a total of around 15 thousand semi-automatics and the government is looking at a buy back scheme costing tens of millions of dollars.

MIKE BUSH NEW ZEALAND POLICE COMMISSIONER "So we, as police, want to do everything we can to ensure those people, get to bring their firearms to surrender them to us and make that possible and possible quickly."

News of the firearms ban quickly spread to the burial sites and has been welcomed by the Muslim community.

MOHAMMED FARUK FRIEND OF HAFIZ PATEL "The killing needs to be stopped. That's right, yeh. Because it's not like the culture here in New Zealand. We are one, and very nice culture, people living in peace. It's a big cultural city here and I think people living in harmony. I think whatever she decides on the gun laws, I'm sure she will make the right decision."

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Foreign Minister has taken an urgent trip to Turkey where President Erdogan has threatened to send New Zealanders home in body bags because of the Christchurch massacre.

JACINDA ARDERN NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER "He is going there to set the record straight. That is an opportunity that he should take up. We have to make sure that what is reflected is an accurate portrayal of New Zealand and New Zealanders."

But for those burying their loved ones, the focus right now is on the traditional three days of mourning.

Owen Poland, CGTN, Auckland.