MPs in New Zealand have voted overwhelmingly to ban military-style weapons - just 26 days after 50 people were killed in mass shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

A bill outlawing most automatic and semi-automatic weapons and banning components that modify existing weapons was passed by a vote of 119 to 1 in the House of Representatives.The single dissenting voice to the move came from the libertarian ACT Party which has only one MP in parliament.The bill only needs to be approved by governor general Patsy Reddy before becoming law on Friday.Image:Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pledged to bring in new gun laws days after the shootingsUnder the new law, owners of the now illegal weapons will be able to hand them in to police in return for compensation based on the weapon's age and condition.Those who fail to surrender them face up to five years in jail.The country's prime minister Jacinda Ardern, who has won international praise for her compassion and response to the shootings, first announced plans for law changes within days of the massacres.On Wednesday, she succeeded in winning rare bi-partisan support for the bill.Image:The owner of Gun City has said his store sold weapons to the alleged gunmanShe told MPs: "We are ultimately here because 50 people died and they do not have a voice."We in this house are their voice.

Today we can use that voice wisely.""We are here just 26 days after the most devastating terrorist attacks created the darkest of days in New Zealand's history."We are here as an almost entirely united parliament.

There have been very few occasions when I have seen parliament come together in this way and I cannot imagine circumstances where that is more necessary than it is now."Image:Thousands joined in prayers in the aftermath of the shootingsShe said there was some opposition to the legislation from firearms owners, but the response broadly had been positive."My question here is simple," she said.

"You either believe that here in New Zealand these weapons have a place or you do not."If you believe, like us, that they do not, you should be able to believe we can move swiftly.

An argument about process is an argument to do nothing."Ms Ardern also spoke emotionally of the injuries suffered by the surviving victims of the 15 March attacks who she visited in hospital.New Zealand PM embraces woman at mosque"I struggle to recall any single gunshot wounds," she said."In every case they spoke of multiple injuries, multiple debilitating injuries that deemed it impossible for them to recover in days, let alone weeks."They will carry disabilities for a lifetime, and that's before you consider the psychological impact.

We are here for them.""I could not fathom how weapons that could cause such destruction and large-scale death could be obtained legally in this country," she added.MPs intend to introduce more legislation later this year, including the creation of a register to track guns.Brenton Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian, is accused of carrying out the mosque attacks.