Thirty-year-long suppressions imposed on Christchurch terror attack evidence

The Royal Commission into the Christchurch terror attack has imposed 30-year-long suppressions on some of the evidence. 

The order protects the identities of ministers and senior public servants which raises concerns about accountability.

New Zealand Muslim community leader Anjum Rahman says accountability is an important factor in ensuring no similar attacks occur. 

"What we're looking for is to make sure that this kind of attack doesn't ever happen again to any other community and that is why accountability and systems change are so important here." 

Among the suppressed details is an interview with the terrorist, which will be permanently sealed - never to be publicly released.

"We're okay with that transcript not being released to the full public," Rahman says.

"But we do think that some members of the community should be able to have clearance and review it." 

The Council of Licenced Firearm Owners (COLFO) is also looking for answers.

"We always said, we're more than happy to get on board with firearm legislation if we can understand what went wrong first," says chairman of COLFO Michael Dowling.

Dowling says if government agencies are at fault for allowing the terrorist to be armed, they should be held accountable. 

The reading of the report could well re-traumatise the victims, but the Muslim community wants the right to see unvarnished facts.

"Obviously there's some apprehension," Rahman says. "It will be a difficult and traumatic read."