Hundreds of NZers die each year due to alcohol. It is a substance that not only is unnecessary, it is also actively detrimental to life. Before you say "But they're killing themselves! Their lives don't matter!", I'll point out that 94 people (that weren't the drivers, but rather the innocent people hit and killed) died in drunk driving collisions inbetween 2014-2016, a span of two years. 203 people died due to being shot (chch shootings included) over a period of 15 years. Taking the rate of drunk driver deaths, and putting it over the same period, gives 704 deaths. Now obviously this number won't be exact. The source for drunk deaths includes other drugs, and there are other factors like the legal BAC being higher 15 years back, as well as higher rates of drinking 15 years ago, that would skew the numbers somewhat in each direction. Either way, the numbers killed by alcohol, not including those that drink it - are higher than the numbers killed by firearms. Where are the campaigns against alcohol? Where is the outcry, the unified support for banning something that is claiming so many lives? We're banning firearms after 51 were killed in a shooting. How many will lose their lives this year due to being killed by a drunk driver, or a partner in a drunk rage, or an alcohol fueled beating? It's going to be more than the 51 shot and killed by the chch shooter, I'd bet my life on it. And I know you'll find some way to twist it into being acceptable and justify it, because you like a drink and would be personally affected by a ban that would save more lives than banning all guns, not just the ones affected by these bans.

It's not a question of whether or not it's a necessity, or even about saving lives, it's down to public perception of the danger and how much political support there is for it. There are so many things that could be banned or restricted, that would save far more lives than banning firearms, that never will because the public won't allow it. Gun owners are a minority however, and it's easy to trample on a minority for political points scoring. It's a tale as old as time, and once again people like yourself are allowing it to happen.