The Associate Justice Minister is rubbishing Labour's claims new gun laws are nothing new

Changes to Firearms Prohibition Orders will allow police to conduct warrantless searches on gang members suspected of having an illegal firearm.

Labour police spokesperson Ginny Andersen says officers can already carry out these searches in relation to a firearms offence.

But Minister Nicole McKee says the original legislation has limitations.

She says it allowed FPOs to be placed on a person - but that was it - and police couldn't stop people who they suspected of having a firearm.