Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the biggest gun buy-back scheme since 1996. Photo: ACT Policing.
Australia will get its biggest gun buy-back scheme since John Howard launched his government’s initiative post the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
Anthony Albanese said the Federal Government’s approach will be consistent with that of 1996 and will aim to get “more guns off our streets” in the wake of Sunday’s Bondi mass shootings (14 December).
The Prime Minister said the buy-back scheme will target surplus supply of guns in the community as well as recover illegal and newly banned firearms.
“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,” Mr Albanese said.
“There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns.”
Mr Albanese said there were now more than 4 million firearms in Australia, which is more than at the time of the Port Arthur massacre, and is a situation that can no longer be tolerated.
State and territory governments will be charged with administering the buyback, with the costs to be shared on a 50-50 basis between them and the Commonwealth.
“We expect hundreds of thousands of firearms will be collected and destroyed through this scheme,” the Prime Minister said.
“Consistent with the approach that was taken in 1996, the government is proposing that states and territories will be responsible for the collection, processing, and payment to individuals for surrendered firearms.
“The Australian federal police will then be responsible for the destruction of these firearms.
“The national gun buyback scheme is on top of the work that was agreed by National Cabinet on Monday, limiting the number of firearms to be held by any one individual.
“Limiting open-ended firearms licensing and the types of guns that are legal, making Australian citizenship a condition of holding a firearm licence, accelerating work on standing up the National Firearms Register, and allowing the additional use of criminal intelligence to underpin firearms licensing.”
The PM said he would not be recalling Federal Parliament before Christmas to pass urgent legislation – as is being requested by Opposition Leader Sussan Ley – because it was not practical and legislation had to be prepared carefully so as to withstand any possible High Court challenges.
“We want to make sure that the laws are right. We want to make sure as well that there is broad support for it across the board. We will engage constructively,” he said.
“We’re going to make sure that these laws don’t get passed and then get knocked over.
“We have seen in High Court decisions in areas relating to migration and other issues related to that national space.”
Mr Albanese praised Mr Howard’s 1996 initiative and delivered a message to those gun owners who are not willing to surrender their firearms.
“My message is that, in 1996, the then-Howard government did the right thing,” he said.
“Intervened to have a scheme which Australians have been rightly proud of. We need to go further…
“If a bloke in Bonnyrigg needs six high-powered rifles and is able to get them under existing licensing schemes, then there’s something wrong. I think Australians can see that.”
The Prime Minister has also designated this coming Sunday – a week after the Bondi shootings – as a national day of reflection.
The New South Wales Government will introduce a new gun laws bill to the state parliament on Monday, saying they will be the “toughest gun laws in the country” and impose a cap of four firearms per individual and completely ban certain types of firearms.
“The New South Wales Government will also introduce legislation to ban ISIS flags in New South Wales to ensure that they’re not used as part of a demented terrorist organisation propaganda,” Premier Chris Minns said.
“These are extraordinary measures. I want to make it clear they’re not the end of the measures.”
It comes as seven men were arrested following dramatic vehicle stops by police in Sydney on Thursday night.
While it has been described as a precautionary measure, authorities have also confirmed that one of those men was under ASIO investigation.
