The New Zealand government will revamp gun laws after Friday's assault. Brenton Tarrant, who attacked two mosques in Christchurch killing 50 people, has sacked his state-appointed lawyer saying he "wants to be self-represented in this case."

The semi-automatic AR-15 is a US-made assault weapon. It was used in the Christchurch massacre and has been used in multiple mass shootings in the US. It was also used in the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania in 1996, which led to the banning of most guns in Australia.
The semi-automatic AR-15 is a US-made assault weapon. It was used in the Christchurch massacre and has been used in multiple mass shootings in the US. It was also used in the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania in 1996, which led to the banning of most guns in Australia.
(Reuters Archive)
New gun laws to make New Zealand safer - Ardern New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday said she would announce new gun laws within days, after an immigrant-hating terrorist killed 50 people in attacks at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, 28 , was charged with one count of murder on Saturday. He was remanded without a plea and is due back in court on April 5 where police said he was likely to face more charges.
Ardern did not detail the new gun laws, but has said she supports a ban on automatic weapons.

The organisers of New Zealand's largest gun show say they have canceled the event to show respect for victims of the Christchurch massacre and because of "elevated security risks." Intelligence inquiry into massacre to be launched Ardern said an inquiry will be held into what intelligence, police, customs and immigration knew or should have known about Tarrant and the events leading up to the massacre, to see whether the terrorist attack could have been prevented.
"Today was also agreed that there will be an inquiry to look at the specific circumstances leading up to the Christchurch mosques terror attack on March 15. The purpose of this inquiry is to look at what all relevant agencies knew or could or should have known about the individual and his activities, including his access to weapons and whether they could have been in a position to prevent the attack." Tarrant sacks lawyer, plans to represent himself in court Tarrant, who appeared in court on Saturday and was charged with murder, on Monday sacked his state-appointed lawyer.
Richard Peters, who represented the terrorist during the hearing, told AFP the 28-year-old "wants to be self-represented in this case."
"The way he presented was rational and someone who was not suffering any mental disability. He seemed to understand what was going on," Peters said.
Under New Zealand law, if Tarrant pleads not guilty his case would normally go to trial, raising the possibility that he could face survivors and victims' families in court.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Police Commissioner Mike Bush police said authorities believe only one man was responsible for the terrorist attack who is in custody but the threat level in the country still remains high.
Ardern said the threat level remains high so authorities can identify trends and patterns of attacks.

Faith in system Mustafa Farouk, president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, told reporters he had faith in the system.
"As a community, we would like that person [the accused] to go through the process, the due process, and to be given all his rights," he said.
"We believe in the justice system here and we know it will do what is right."
But, he cautioned, the attitudes that gave rise to the killing – documented in a racist, xenophobic and anti-immigrant screed released online minutes before the attacks began – must be tackled.
"This rise in hatred... by people who call themselves right-wing, whether smaller groups or through reckless politicians, should not be allowed to continue."
"What happened to our community here will happen to another community," he said.
Ardern has announced that New Zealand will hold a national commemoration service to mark the attack.

Christchurch gun shop sold rifles online to terrorist A Christchurch gun shop on Monday acknowledged selling guns online to the 28-year-old white supremacist who killed 50 people in terrorist attacks on two mosques that have upended New Zealand's reputation as among the world's most tolerant and safe countries.
At a news conference, Gun City owner David Tipple said the store sold four guns and ammunition to Tarrant through a "police-verified online mail order process." The store "detected nothing extraordinary," about the buyer, he said. Gun owners, sellers move against semi-automatics  "Until today I was one of the New Zealanders who owned a semi-automatic rifle. On the farm they are a useful tool in some circumstances, but my convenience doesn’t outweigh the risk of misuse," John Hart, a farmer and Green Party candidate from Masterton said on Twitter on Monday.
"We don’t need these in our country. We have make sure it’s #NeverAgain."
New Zealand's top online marketplace Trade Me Group said it was halting the sale of semi-automatic weapons in the wake of Friday's attack.
New Zealand, a country of only 5 million people, has an estimated 1.5 million firearms.
Australia introduced some of the world's toughest gun laws after its worst mass killing, the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in which a lone gunman killed 35 people using a US staple of mass shootings in that country – the semi-automatic AR-15, the same weapon used in the Christchurch terror attacks.
Australia banned semi-automatic weapons and launched a national gun amnesty. Tens of thousands of weapons were handed in as laws were enacted to make it much tougher to own firearms.Source: trtworld.com