New South Wales to Launch Australia’s Largest Gun Buyback Since Port Arthur Following Bondi Attack

New South Wales will launch a major gun buyback scheme this November, making them the first Australian state to compensate gun owners as part of a broader national response to last December's deadly terror attack in Sydney.

The initiative follows the December 14th shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, which resulted in 15 deaths, including a 10-year-old girl and a Holocaust survivor. Police attribute the attack to a father and son inspired by Islamic State. The surviving suspect, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, faces multiple charges including 15 counts of murder and has not yet entered a plea.

Because the alleged perpetrators used legally acquired high-powered weapons, federal and state leaders are facing pressure to curb firearm numbers. Government figures show Australians held a record 4.1 million firearms last year, with over 1.1 million located in New South Wales alone.

Starting November 2nd, the initiative will pay gun owners up to AUS$1,000 ($700) per eligible firearm, with specific payouts such as AUS$1,000 for revolvers and AUS$450 for air rifles.

Jointly funded by the federal government and New South Wales, the project will be rolled out in two distinct stages:

Phase One (November): Focuses on standard handguns, shotguns, and rifles.
Phase Two (Early Next Year): Expands to cover higher-value firearms valued between AUS$3,000 and AUS$10,000.
Business Support: Gun dealers and affected businesses can access up to AUS$25,000 in transitional aid.

New state laws now cap individual ownership at four firearms, with exemptions allowing up to 10 for groups like farmers and sports shooters, and reduce license validity terms from five years down to two. The buyback targets individuals who now hold weapons exceeding these limits or whose licenses have expired.

The campaign represents Australia's most extensive buyback effort since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, where 35 people were killed. Speaking on the need for updated measures, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

"Australians are quite rightly proud of our gun laws, but the fact is there are more guns in Australia today than there were at the time of dealing with the Port Arthur gun buyback."

Albanese added:

"We must do everything we can to make sure the antisemitic terrorist attack in Bondi doesn't happen again. That includes meaningful nationwide gun reform."

Outlining the target for the state's efforts, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns stated:

"We want those guns handed in, compensated for and safely destroyed."

The buyback scheme is paired with stricter licensing background checks and broader anti-hate measures enacted by the federal government earlier this year.