New South Wales has signed a deal with the Commonwealth Government to become the first state to roll out a national gun buyback scheme born out of the Bondi terror attack. But the announcement comes amid separate moves to repeal the reforms at both a state and federal level, and a warning from Shooters Union Australia that the buyback will fuel a black market in firearms.
The agreement follows the antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on Sunday, 14 December 2025, in which a father-and-son duo killed 15 people. NSW responded by tightening its firearms laws, including new ownership limits, reclassified firearm types and shorter licence periods.
Compensation for firearms above the new limits, or newly reclassified as restricted, will be paid from Monday, 2 November, plus a flat fee for ammunition. NSW Police will administer the scheme, with the state and Commonwealth splitting the cost 50:50 and Canberra fully funding destruction of surrendered firearms.
The NSW Government estimates as many as 274,000 registered firearms, about 24 per cent of the state’s total, and around 50,000 licence holders will be affected by the new ownership limits and reclassifications.
Phase 1 of the scheme sets fixed compensation for individual licence holders returning firearms above their new legal limit:
Firearm type Sub-type Compensation Handgun Revolver $1,000 Handgun Semi-auto $850 Shotgun Double barrel $850 Shotgun Single barrel $650 Rifle Rimfire $600 Rifle Centrefire $1,000 Air rifle n/a $450
Eligible businesses can access up to $25,000 in grants to adjust to the new laws, plus one-off licence fee relief worth $500 over two years per dealer. Phase 2, from early 2027, will offer compensation for higher-value firearms worth more than $3,000, capped at $10,000 per firearm.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reforms were about preventing another Bondi-style attack.
“We must do everything we can to make sure the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi doesn’t happen again. That includes meaningful nationwide gun reform,” he said.
Premier Chris Minns said the buyback delivered on a promise made to the state after Bondi.
“This is a big undertaking, but the principle behind it is simple: fewer dangerous guns in our community means a safer New South Wales,” he said.
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said it was “the biggest gun buyback in NSW in three decades,” and urged patience from licence holders.
But NSW may be the only state to take part. Queensland, Victoria and the Northern Territory have rejected or ruled out funding the buyback, while South Australia, the ACT and Tasmania have stalled on funding. Western Australia has signalled openness to the federal scheme after completing its own buyback in January.
Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey said a Bill introduced into the Senate by Nationals Senate Leader Bridget McKenzie, the Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026, would restore Commonwealth firearms law to its position before the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026 passed.
“Throughout the electorate of Parkes, I have heard time and again how deeply these rushed laws are impacting farmers, sporting shooters and gunshop owners,” Mr Chaffey said.
“The Labor Government has punished almost one million law-abiding Australians for a horrific terrorism act by two people.”
Mr Chaffey said small firearms businesses were carrying losses while the buyback struggled to gain traction with the states.
“Small family businesses have been left carrying the losses. They are facing closure, which would also be a blow for their communities,” he said.
“We strongly opposed these changes, and more than 71,000 Australians signed the petition protesting these reforms.”
The Bill would also abolish the federal buyback scheme entirely.
Speaking from Narrabri, Shooters Union Australia national president Graham Park said there was already a bill before the New South Wales Parliament seeking to repeal the state laws before the buyback begins.
“There is a repeal bill up to get rid of that before then in September in the New South Wales Parliament,” Mr Park said. “But if it goes ahead, I think it’s a huge slap in the face.”
Mr Park said the compensation on offer would not cover what firearm owners and dealers stood to lose.
“For firearm owners, individual firearm owners, the amounts being offered are so bad that it just equates to state sanctified theft,” he said. “It’s outrageous, is how we see it.”
Mr Park compared the buyback to federal tobacco regulation, which he said had driven smokers to the black market.
“The federal government overregulated the tobacco industry to the point that 80% of tobacco in this country is now illegally sold,” he said.
“We are seeing New South Wales government do the exact same thing. They are creating a black market like this country has never seen, and I don’t want to see that in firearms.”
More information on the NSW Gun Buyback Scheme is available at nsw.gov.au/gunbuyback.
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