NSW launches first state gun buyback, targeting 274,000 firearms after Bondi attack

New South Wales is set to become the first Australian state to run a gun buyback, beginning on Nov 2 as a reaction to the December 14 Bondi Beach terror attack that claimed 15 lives. The scheme permits individuals who surpass newly imposed firearm caps or whose licences no longer cover certain weapons to hand in guns for payment, with compensation ranging from $450 for air rifles to a maximum of $10,000 for high-value firearms.

Authorities estimate that up to 274,000 firearms—about 25% of the state's registered stock—and 50,000 licence holders may be eligible. The Commonwealth will cover the cost of destroying the surrendered weapons, while the buyback and administrative expenses are split evenly between state and federal budgets. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for nationwide reform, but Queensland and Victoria have rejected the plan, and funding talks continue with Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. Opposition voices, including Pauline Hanson and One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, denounced the buyback as an unwarranted intrusion on law-abiding citizens.