New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that would ban the public sale and use of fireworks across the country.

Party leader Winston Peters said taxpayers should not be footing the bill for the widespread damage and disruption caused by fireworks each year.

“The taxpayer should not be spending millions on something that drastically impacts pets, causes the inevitable fires, and causes havoc for our emergency services. Enough is enough,” Peters said.

He said the abuse and misuse of fireworks had “far outgrown any of the benefits” and the proposed law was about “bringing some common-sense into what is a desperately needed conversation about the future of fireworks in our community.”

The “Fireworks Prohibition Legislation Bill” would stop the retail sale, manufacture, and importation of fireworks for public use but would still allow approved public displays to continue.

Peters said many large retailers had already stopped selling fireworks and there had been calls from across the country to end their public sale completely.

He said the Bill responded to predictable and preventable costs for ACC, the strain on emergency services, and the harm caused to farm animals and family pets.

“New Zealand has come to a point where we seriously need to have this conversation and debate,” Peters said.