In a decisive legislative move, the Australian parliament has enacted the country's most substantial firearms reforms since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The new laws, propelled by last month's terror attack at Bondi Beach, will establish a national gun buyback scheme, tighten background checks, and restrict the importation of certain weapons and accessories.
Key Components of the New Legislation
The reforms, which were split from a broader omnibus bill, represent a coordinated federal effort to enhance gun safety. A central pillar is the creation of a national firearms buyback, to be delivered in partnership with state and territory governments. This initiative echoes the successful 1996 program that saw approximately 650,000 weapons destroyed.
Importantly, the legislation clamps down on the flow of high-risk items into the country. It will halt the importation of specific firearms, belt-fed ammunition, magazines holding more than 30 rounds, silencers, and speed loaders. The system of open-ended import permits will also be abolished.
Background checks for firearm licence applicants and holders will become significantly more rigorous. The process will be more frequent and involve enhanced information sharing between government agencies. Crucially, the bill empowers security bodies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC), to provide intelligence for these checks, which will be run by AusCheck. An individual's citizenship status will also be verified as part of the process.
Furthermore, it will become an offence to use a carriage service, such as the internet, to access material detailing the manufacture or modification of firearms, explosives, or other lethal devices.
Australia's Growing Firearms Landscape
The reforms come at a time when the number of registered firearms in Australia is at its highest since the Port Arthur tragedy. As of December, there were more than 4.1 million registered guns nationally, with at least 2,000 new weapons lawfully entering the community each week.
New South Wales holds the most guns of any jurisdiction, with over 1.15 million registered weapons, just ahead of Queensland (1.14 million) and Victoria (974,000). Nationally, around 930,000 people hold a firearms licence. In a parallel move, state laws are set to be updated to limit recreational firearm owners to four guns, with a cap of ten for commercial and farming use.
Political Divide and Implementation Challenges
The legislation passed parliament with the support of the governing Labor Party and the Greens. However, it faced strong opposition from the Coalition, particularly the Nationals. Nationals leader David Littleproud labelled the bill "a cheap political diversion," arguing that law-abiding shooters and farmers were being unfairly targeted. One Nation, including former National Barnaby Joyce, also opposed the changes.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the laws, insisting that measures like the improved background checks and a ban on non-citizens owning guns could have prevented the Bondi attack.
While the federal framework is now law, the practical implementation, particularly of the buyback scheme, faces hurdles. Queensland is expected to oppose the national buyback, a stark contrast to the unified support for the 1996 reforms. Other Liberal-led jurisdictions like Tasmania and the Northern Territory have expressed reservations about the proposed 50:50 cost split with the federal government. The total cost of the buyback is yet to be determined, with the bulk of expenditure anticipated in the next financial year.
In a related development, the rollout of a long-awaited national firearms register—first recommended after Port Arthur—is being accelerated but is not expected to be operational until 2027 at the earliest.
