Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the most significant firearm buyback program in Australia since the landmark reforms following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The move is a direct response to the recent Bondi Beach mass shooting, with the government aiming to get more guns off the streets.
Details of the New National Buyback Scheme
Speaking at a press conference in Canberra on Friday, 19 December 2025, Mr Albanese revealed the scheme would be finalised in the coming days. He was joined by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke. The Prime Minister expressed shock that one of the perpetrators in the Bondi attack held a firearm licence and possessed six high-powered rifles while living in the suburban Sydney area of Bonnyrigg.
"I am surprised that is the case," Mr Albanese stated. "There is something wrong with the licensing laws when this guy can have six high-powered rifles, which is why the government is acting." The new scheme will be mandatory in parts and voluntary for others, designed to purchase surplus, newly banned, and illegal firearms from the community.
A Response to Rising Firearm Numbers
The Prime Minister drew a direct line between the current initiative and the historic actions of the Howard government nearly three decades ago. He praised the former Liberal administration for doing "the right thing" in 1996 and vowed to now act in "Australia's national interest."
Mr Albanese highlighted a concerning statistic: there are now more than four million firearms in Australia, a number that exceeds the total at the time of the Port Arthur tragedy. "Australia's gun laws were substantially reformed after the Port Arthur tragedy. The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets," he said.
Funding and Legislative Path Forward
To support the ambitious buyback, the federal government will introduce new legislation. The funding model has been set, with the Commonwealth agreeing to meet the costs on a 50-50 basis with the states and territories. This collaborative approach underscores the national scope of the policy.
The announcement sets the stage for the largest coordinated effort to reduce firearm numbers in a generation, aiming to address gaps in licensing and the proliferation of weapons that the government believes have no place in suburban communities.
