Military-style semi-automatic guns and assault rifles will be banned in New Zealand in the wake of the Christchurch mosque massacre , Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.

The gun ban will take immediate effect, with the government to introduce a buyback scheme inspired by Australia's 1996 policy .

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to students at the Cashmere High School in Christchurch. (AAP)

"On March 15 our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too," Ms Ardern said.

"We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place."

Accessories that convert guns into military-style semi-automatics will also be banned, as well as high-capacity magazines.

The New Zealand gun buyback scheme is modelled on Australia's successful laws. (AAP)

An amnesty will be put in place for gun owners to hand in their now-illegal firearms.

Ms Ardern specifically referenced Australia's gun reforms in her announcement.

"When Australia undertook similar reforms, their approach was to allow for exemptions for farmers upon application, including for pest control and animal welfare," she said.

"We have taken similar action to identify the weapons legitimately required in those areas, and preclude them."

Visitors to the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch look at a floral tribute for the mosque shootings. (AP/AAP)

An interim order has been signed while legislation is being drafted.

Australia introduced sweeping gun reforms in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre , when 35 people were murdered by a sole gunman.

The National Firearms Agreement banned semi-automatic rifles, semi-automatic shotguns and pump-action shotguns.

The program led to the buyback of 650,000 guns.

The Port Arthur massacre led to the introduction of strict new gun laws in Australia. (AAP)

A quarter of a million New Zealanders hold a standard firearms licence, and there are an estimated 1.5 million civilian-owned guns in the country.

Only a tiny fraction of those are military-style semi-automatic rifles.

Opposition leader Simon Bridges said his party would be supporting the changes and would work with the government.

"The terrorist attack in Christchurch last week has changed us as a nation," he said in a statement.

Mourners arrive for a burial service of a victim of the mosque shootings at the Memorial Park Cemetery. (AP/AAP)

"We agree that the public doesn't need access to military-style semi-automatic weapons."

The New Zealand Police Association also quickly praised the move.

"These are weapons that have been used to slaughter innocent children, women and men while they were at their most vulnerable - at prayer," association president Chris Cahill said.

"It is a move we, as a community, can be proud of."

A petition signed by 65,000 people calling for a ban on semi-automatic weapons was delivered to New Zealand's parliament earlier in the day.

Almost $10m raised

Nearly $NZ10 million ($9.7 million) has been raised for the families of victims.

The largest of a series of crowdfunding pages quickly set up following Friday's terror attack, run by the New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups, had collected more than $NZ7.3 million ($7.1 million) by Thursday.

"We've been overwhelmed with donations, more than we thought possible," organisers said of the about 86,000 donations to the Givealittle page.

Mourners are seen at Flagstaff Gardens, Melbourne, Thursday, March 21, 2019. (AAP)

A second campaign, by the New Zealand Islamic Info Centre, had separately received about $NZ2.4 million ($2.32 million) for grieving families.

"No amount of money will bring back their loved ones, but we do hope to lessen their burden in some way," orgaisers on the LaunchGood page said.

Victims also have access to New Zealand's public insurance scheme, the Accident Compensation Corporation, which has offered assistance with funeral costs, grants to families and covers medical costs for those hurt, including visitors to the country.

A police officer stands guard with a rose at the service for a victim of the shootings. (AP/AAP)

It was earlier reported A-list celebrities such as Madonna, Ben Stiller and Chris Rock had been donating to various charities following the event.

Full list of victims' names released

A full list of all 50 people to have died so far as a result of the attack, has been released.

The list includes the names of the victims, their ages, citizenships and where they died.

DIED IN THE MASJID AL NOOR MOSQUE

Mohsen Mohammed al Harbi, age 63, New Zealand citizen (male)

Kamel Moh'd Kamal Kamel Darwish, age 38, Jordanian citizen (male)

Junaid Ismail, age 36, New Zealand citizen (male)

Mucaad Ibrahim, age 3, New Zealand citizen (male)

A tribute for mosque shooting victim Tariq Omar is placed at the Botanical Gardens in Christchurch. (AP/AAP)

Muse Nur Awale, age 77, New Zealand citizen (male)

Haji Mohemmed Daoud Nabi, age 71, New Zealand citizen (male)

Hussein Mohamed Khalil Moustafa, age 70, New Zealand and Egyptian citizen (male)

Mounir Guirgis Soliman, age 68, New Zealand citizen (male)

Muhammad Abdus Samad, age 66, New Zealand and Bangladeshi citizen (male)

A tribute of a victim of mosque shooting, Ansi Alibava. (AP/AAP)

Ashraf Ali, age 58, Fijian citizen (male)

Lilik Abdul Hamid, age 57, Indonesian citizen (male)

Amjad Kasem Hamid, age 57, New Zealand citizen (male)

Matiullah Safi, age 55, New Zealand citizen (male)

Ashraf El-Moursy Ragheb, age 54, New Zealand and Egyptian citizen (male)

Haroon Mahmood, age 40, Pakistani citizen (male)

Syed Jahandad Ali, age 34, New Zealand citizen (male)

A tribute for mosque shooting victim Hossein Moustafa. (AP/AAP)

Ata Mohammad Ata Elayyan, age 33, New Zealand and Jordanian citizen (male)

MD Mojammel Hoq, age 30, Bangladeshi citizen (male)

Farhaj Ahsan, age 30, New Zealand citizen (male)

Ramiz Arifbhai Vora, age 28, Indian citizen (male)

Syed Areeb Ahmed, age 26, Pakistani citizen (male)

Ozair Kadir, age 24, Indian citizen (male)

A student from Cashmere High School is consoled after the funeral of his fellow student Sayyad Ahmed Milne, aged 14, the eighth funeral of the 50 victims of the mosque shootings. (AAP)

Tariq Rashid Omar, age 24, New Zealand citizen (male)

Muhammad Haziq Mohd-Tarmizi, age 17, Malaysian citizen (male)

Hamza Khaled Alhaj Mustafa, age 16, New Zealand citizen (male)

Sayyad Ahmad Milne, age 14, New Zealand citizen (male)

Husna Ahmed, age 44, New Zealand citizen (female)

DIED IN LINWOOD MASJID

Ghulam Hussain, age 66, Pakistani citizen (male)

Musa Vali Suleman Patel, age 59, Fijian citizen (male)

A mourner carries a sign saying "hello brother" during the funeral of Haji Mohammed Daoud Nabi, aged 71, the twelfth funeral of the 50 victims of the mosque shootings. (AAP)

Mohamad Moosid Mohamedhosen, age 54, Mauritian citizen (male)

Muhammad Zeshan Raza, age 38, Pakistani citizen (male)

Linda Susan Armstrong, age 64, New Zealand citizen (female)

Karam Bibi, age 63, Pakistani citizen (female)

DIED IN CHRISTCHURCH HOSPITAL

Khaled Mwafak Alhaj-Mustafa, age 44, New Zealand citizen (male)