The biggest gun buyback in 30 years began in NSW yesterday, with the first firearms set to be surrendered as part of the government’s commitment to reduce the number of guns in the community and help make NSW safer.
From yesterday, those who have signed up to participate in Phase 1 of the National Gun Buyback will begin surrendering their firearms and receive compensation in up to 10 days.
Appointments for the Buyback opened last week, with 331 appointments already booked to surrender 2,430 firearms, as well as 194 ammunition items of one kilogram or more.
The government says the number one responsibility of any government is community safety, with the Port Arthur buyback showing that taking guns out of the community is an important part of reducing the risk of gun violence.
Support for the firearms industry has also begun, with the government providing eligible businesses with a one-off targeted payment of up to $25,000, while eligible dealers can also access up to $500 in one-off licence fee relief.
National scheme
The National Gun Buyback Scheme is part of the government’s broader package of legislative of firearm reforms designed to strengthen oversight, reduce risk and reduce the number of firearms in the community, following the terror attack in Bondi.
These include mandatory safe storage checks, stronger identity checks, reducing firearm licence periods from five years to two, and tighter review rights for licensing decisions.
Establishing a buyback was a direct recommendation from the interim report of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, of which all recommendations were accepted by the NSW government.
The NSW scheme will operate for 12 months, giving affected licence holders time to understand their obligations under the new laws and safely surrender eligible firearms. Around 18 per cent of NSW firearm licence holders are affected by the new caps and reclassifications, with up to 274,000 firearms estimated to be eligible for surrender under the Scheme.
Six police stations are currently accepting surrenders; Sutherland, Penrith, Narellan, Grafton, Griffith and Dubbo Police Station.
Thirty-four additional stations across NSW will come online from Tuesday, 1 December and further stations in the new year. By February, 146 police stations across the state will be accepting surrenders under the Buyback.
Any licence holder who is uncertain if or how to participate should visit National Gun Buyback Scheme – NSW Police Public Site or call the Gun Buyback number on 1800 131 555 (between Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm).
Individuals with unregistered firearms cannot participate in and receive compensation under the Buyback Scheme. Instead, individuals are advised to surrender unregistered firearms under the National Firearms Amnesty.
Further information on the Amnesty can be found on the NSW Police Force website: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/online_services/firearms/amnesty.
Safety paramount
Premier of NSW Chris Minns said, ‘This is fundamentally about reducing gun violence, reducing crime and keeping people safe. Fewer unnecessary firearms in circulation means fewer opportunities for them to fall into the wrong hands.
‘After the horrifying terrorist attack at Bondi, we said we would take big and decisive action to reduce the risk of gun violence in our community – and that is exactly what we have done.
‘There are more firearms in circulation in Australia today than there were before Port Arthur. We have made a deliberate decision to put community safety first by reducing the number of firearms in our community, and I make no apologies for that.’
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said, ‘Evidence shows that fewer guns in the community means a safer community, it’s that simple.
‘On average, one legally owned, lawful gun is reported stolen every day to the NSW Police. Any gun can end up in the wrong hands which is why we introduced a suite of reforms to reduce risk, strengthen compliance and safeguards, and reduce the number of guns in our community.’
Strong demand
Minister Catley said, ‘The strong demand for surrender appointments shows that eligible licence holders are engaging with the Buyback, so we’re making more appointments available to keep up with demand.
‘This is a significant undertaking and the NSW Police are working hard to ensure it happens safely. The rollout of the Buyback Scheme is being led by NSW Police, who in consultation with police on the ground across the state, recommended a staged approach for surrenders to ensure public safety is the priority.
‘I can’t stress this enough: Gun owners must continue to make appointments at participating police stations to surrender. Please do not walk into a police station with weapons without an appointment. The Buyback runs for 12 months, there is enough time for everyone to participate.’
Minister for Small Business Janelle Saffin said, ‘The safety of our communities is paramount and making the state safer is incumbent on all of us, but we also want to ensure that those directly impacted by these reforms are looked after, which is why we are offering the support package of up to $25,000 to our licensed firearm dealers.
‘This is the first stage of business support being provided with more to come in the new year, and we want to thank the industry for their determination to keep the people of NSW safe by ensuring gun ownership remains in responsible hands.
‘We will continue working with the firearm industry to make sure the rollout of these reforms is managed in a safe, orderly and responsible way.’
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