A swift and wide-sweeping New Zealand royal commission into whether a terror attack on Christchurch mosques could have been stopped will probe the activities of the alleged gunman in Australia.
Following the attack that killed 50 people on March 15, an inquiry was ordered to answer questions about why the lone man charged, Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant, was not flagged by security agencies on either side of the Tasman.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday announced the probe would look at Tarrant's time in Australia, his arrival and life in New Zealand, his travel abroad, his use of social media, links with others and how he managed to obtain a gun licence and weapons.
"We are asking that he look at this connection with others, whether in New Zealand or internationally," Ardern said.
"We've had good cooperation (with Australia) so far, certainly via our agencies, and my expectation is that would continue."
The commission - to be chaired by sitting New Zealand Supreme Court Justice Sir William Young - will be carried out with haste.
It'll hear evidence from May and report back by December.
Australian Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo last week said Tarrant - now charged with 50 counts of murder and 39 of attempted murder - had spent just 45 days in Australia over the past few years.
Security and intelligence chiefs had no evidence to suggest the 28-year-old from Grafton in NSW posed a risk, Pezzullo said.
The policies and actions of New Zealand intelligence agencies, police, customs and the immigration department will be part of the royal commission, as will questions about whether enough attention is placed on far-right extremism.
The way information was shared with overseas intelligence partners, including Australia, will also be probed.
"The government will ensure no stone is left unturned as we examine as quickly as possible how the March 15 attack happened, what could have been done to stop it and how we can keep New Zealanders safe," Ardern said.
Meanwhile, a New Zealand parliamentary committee taking submissions on gun reforms - announced days after the shooting - is set to return proposed tweaks to the new laws after hearing from the public last week.
The amended legislation, which bans military-style, semi-automatic rifles and some modifications, will go back to the MPs for a second vote on Tuesday, with a plan for it to become law by Thursday.
While it's meant to pass with near-universal support in parliament, a small number of vocal opponents have criticised the speed of the process, which only included one day of oral feedback and gave politicians a few days to consider 12,000 written submissions.
