Australia launches biggest gun buyback in 30 years after Bondi beach terror attack

The Guardian ^ | 12/19/25 | Tom McIlroy

[SeekAndFind]

The federal government will launch a new gun buyback scheme in response to the Bondi beach terror attack in what Anthony Albanese says will be the biggest collection of weapons since the Port Arthur massacre nearly three decades ago.

It comes as New South Wales announced a suite of gun control measures including capping the number of firearms most recreational shooters can hold at four.

Costs for the buyback, which is expected to see hundreds of thousands of weapons destroyed, will be split between the federal government and the states, the prime minister said on Friday.

States and territories will collect weapons being surrendered, while the Australian federal police will oversee their destruction.

Announcing Sunday as a national day of reflection for the 15 victims of the Bondi attack, Albanese confirmed information from the Office of National Intelligence that showed the shooters had used a regular online video game feed from terror group Islamic State.

Albanese faced questions over whether intelligence failures had contributed to the killings. He said there was no information to suggest sharing of data could have prevented the carnage.

The buyback comes as state governments prepare to tighten gun laws through national cabinet, expected to see gun licences issued only to Australian citizens as well as better background checks, limits on the timeframe licenses can be issued for and limits on the number of weapons individuals can own.

A long-awaited national firearms register – first recommended after the Port Arthur massacre – is being accelerated but will not be ready until 2027 at the earliest.

“We know that one of these terrorists held a firearm licence and had six guns in spite of living in the middle of Sydney’s suburbs. There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns,” Albanese said.

[SeekAndFind]

There are more than 4m legally owned guns in Australia, an increase of more than 25% since landmark law reforms were introduced by the Howard government after 35 people were killed in the Tasmanian tourist town of Port Arthur in 1996.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I guess the first one didn’t work well. ROTFL. Ahos.

[doorgunner69]

Self inflicted.

The Aussies that fought with us in RVN are probably in a rage over this sort of surrendering.

[OttawaFreeper]

Well, if the recent one in New Zealand is a barometer of potential success, it is likely to be that kind of a disappointment.

[from occupied ga]

buy back confiscation

[V_TWIN]

If a private citizen would have pulled a legally owned firearm and shot back at those animals at Bondi Beach they would without a doubt be sitting in jail right now.

And to think Australia was once on my short list of places to live if I ever decided to leave the US.

[FlingWingFlyer]

Males won’t be called “mates” anymore. They’ll be known as chumps afraid of politicians.

[The Louiswu]

Look terrorists lined up for miles to turn in their guns!

[Freedumb]

“We know that one of these terrorists held a firearm licence and had six guns in spite of living in the middle of Sydney’s suburbs. There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns,” Albanese said.

Hey Prime Minister Dipshit - I’d argue that there is no reason Islamist foreigners with known ties to ISIS should be living in the suburbs of Sydney, or anywhere else in your country!

[Terry L Smith]

Dumb question #3468.......

.”How can a government truly “buy back” anything,v that it did not sell in the first place?

Governments selling guns under ‘foreign aid’, and not it’s citizens.

Should not the government ‘buy back” such guns, and stop diddling it’s citizens?

[Secret Agent Man]

So predictable. So predictably, stupidly, wrong. Socialist, orwellian, feminized Aussie govt.

[No.6]

Depends on your definition of “wrong.” From here, where we like things like survival, cohesive societies, and calm, “wrong.”

From the globalist perspective seeking anarcho-tyranny so as to crisis-march the people into demanding a neo-feudalist technocratic surveillance state, Spot On. The Great Reset can’t happen while the people can shoot back.

[goodnesswins]

Reminder: never visit Australia...the government is uber stupid

[Responsibility2nd]

Banning guns? Should they not be banning muzzies with antisemite “kill the Jews” sentiments?

[jonrick46]

I guess Australia has the world’s strongest anti gun smuggling operation. This is the smuggling that criminal gangs and terrorists do. On the other hand, the law abiding will go along like dehumanized sheep to the slaughter.

[JeanLM]

Gun buybacks come under the heading of.” We have to do SOMETHING!”. The oyher common sense something would be to check on all the potential terrorists and get the questionable ones out of the country or in jail. Do they have conections with suspicous groups such as visits to mosques with known terrorist connections? Strange travel history? Oh and take their guns too.

[null and void]

Brilliant!

I’m sure every terrorist in Oz will cash out allah their weapons!

[FlingWingFlyer]

Trade in your gun and your government and its ratty politicians will give you a free coupon for a “man bun” hairdo.

[PetroniusMaximus]

Yeah that’s gonna work.

“Hmmm.. let me see here. Am I going to use this rifle to punished the people that killed my family and destroyed my city, or am I going to trade it in for $150?”

[The Duke]

Buy harder!!!