New South Wales to begin gun buyback scheme after Bondi Beach attack

New South Wales will become the first Australian state to begin a gun buyback scheme introduced in response to the Bondi Beach terror attack. The program is due to start on November 2 and will offer compensation of up to A$10,000 per firearm. State officials say the measure is intended to help remove guns that no longer fit the tightened licensing rules.

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The scheme is expected to affect as many as 274,000 firearms, or about a quarter of those registered in New South Wales, along with about 50,000 licence holders. People who exceed the new limits on the number of firearms they can possess, or whose licences no longer allow certain types of weapons, will be able to surrender them for payment. NSW Premier Chris Minns said in a statement that the aim was to have the guns handed in, compensated for and safely destroyed.

The buyback follows changes brought in by New South Wales in December, when acquisition limits were set at four firearms for most licence holders and 10 for others, including farmers and sports shooters. Firearms that are quicker to reload, including those with a straight-pull action, were also reclassified to require a more restricted licence, although those changes have not yet taken effect. In the first stage of the buyback, compensation will follow a fixed price schedule ranging from A$450 for an air rifle to A$1,000 for a centre-fire rifle or revolver.

The policy is part of a wider push to strengthen Australia's gun laws after the December 14 attack on Sydney's Jewish community, in which 15 people were killed. The Commonwealth made that commitment first, and New South Wales is now the first state to put the buyback into operation. The move is significant because it links a state firearms reform directly to a major terror attack and to the national response that followed.

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From early next year, owners of more expensive firearms with an indicative market value above A$3,000 will be able to apply for compensation capped at A$10,000 per gun. A flat fee will also be paid for ammunition handed in, while dealers will be eligible for grants of up to A$25,000 and licence fee relief worth A$500. The Commonwealth will pay for destroying surrendered firearms, while the state and federal governments will split the buyback and administration costs evenly.

What remains unclear is how many owners will take part once the scheme opens and how quickly the firearms will be surrendered. The changes to the more restricted licensing rules have not yet taken effect, which means the full impact of the reforms may unfold in stages. The next key date is November 2, when the buyback begins and the first firearms can be handed in for compensation.

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