Firearm Incidents Cost New Zealand $322 Million Per Year w/ Dr. Lucy Telfar-Barnard: September 24, 2025

A new study led by the University of Otago has found that, each year, firearms injuries are costing the New Zealand hospital system an average of $1.48 million and costing the country a further $321 million in years of life lost. The researchers investigated firearms-related hospitalisations and deaths from assaults, accidents and suicide between the years 2000 and 2018. The total cost of hospital care over the 19 years was $28.2 million.

Lead researcher Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, a senior research fellow at the University of Otago, Wellington, says more than 1,000 people died and 2,115 people were hospitalised as a result of firearms incidents between 2000 and 2018. More than 80 per cent of those hospitalised needed surgery, with most of the injuries from accidents.

To talk about this study, Producer Max spoke to Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard.