SYDNEY — Australia’s New South Wales state will begin a large-scale firearm-buyback programme on November 2 as part of reforms introduced after the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack that killed 15 people.
Eligible gun owners returning rifles and handguns may receive compensation of up to A$1,000, approximately US$700, for each firearm. New South Wales has also imposed a general limit of four firearms per individual, with separate provisions applying to some farmers and professional users.
The national government said Australia had a record 4.1 million firearms last year, including more than 1.1 million in New South Wales. The programme will be the country’s largest buyback since the initiative introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in which 35 people were killed.
Authorities said the firearms used in the Bondi attack had been obtained legally. The government subsequently introduced tighter licence checks and additional measures addressing gun access and hate-motivated violence.
Why it matters: The programme could become an important international case study on whether buybacks, ownership limits and stricter licensing reduce the risk of mass shootings.
