NSW gun buyback starts Nov 2 with A$1,000 cap

New South Wales will begin a statewide gun buyback program on November 2, as the state government moves to reduce the number of firearms held by private individuals following the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the rollout and linked it to a broader legislative push focused on licensing standards and public safety.

Officials said the buyback is designed to cut the overall volume of privately held weapons, while other legal changes adjust the rules around how firearms can be owned and used. Beyond the start date and a payment ceiling, authorities have not released additional operational details.

Compensation offer set at up to A$1,000 per firearm

New South Wales

Under the scheme, firearm owners will be offered up to 1,000 Australian dollars for each surrendered handgun or rifle. Officials said the payment level is intended to encourage voluntary participation as part of a wider effort to reduce firearms in circulation. Authorities framed the buyback as a direct tool for lowering the number of privately held weapons, alongside rule changes intended to tighten ownership and use. Officials did not specify how the handover process will work, where firearms will be accepted, or how eligibility and verification will be handled. Policy tied to December 14, 2025 shooting and licensing review Officials connected the program to an urgent review of existing ownership requirements and enforcement settings after the December 14, 2025, shooting at a Sydney Hanukkah celebration. Authorities said 15 people were killed in that attack.

Officials also said the perpetrators used firearms that Officials also said the perpetrators used firearms that had been obtained legally, which has been cited as a key reason for reassessing licensing and other controls. The government has argued that current settings did not sufficiently reduce the risk of misuse.

Firearm counts and a new four-gun limit in New South Wales Official data shows Australians held a record 4.1 million firearms last year. Within that national total, 1.1 million firearms were in New South Wales, the country’s most populous state.

Alongside the buyback, New South Wales has introduced a limit of four firearms per person. Officials described the cap as a measure aimed at reducing high firearm density and lowering risks linked to large private stockpiles.

Officials cite the 1996 Port Arthur response as precedent In outlining the policy direction, officials pointed to the legislative response after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre as a precedent. They said the earlier approach combined tighter regulation with compensation-based surrender programs to reduce firearm prevalence.

Officials said the New South Wales plan reflects that model by pairing a buyback offer with wider changes to licensing and access. Legal proceedings involving the surviving suspect, Naveed Akram, remain ongoing, and authorities have not provided a timeline for when the case may conclude.