National Gun Buyback Scheme - NSW

The announcement of the National Gun Buyback Scheme in NSW comes as no surprise to Australia’s shooting community. But let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: this is not a buyback. This is the forced confiscation of legally acquired property from the most heavily vetted private citizens in this country.

Premier Chris Minns claimed: "This will be the largest program to get dangerous guns off our streets in almost 30 years."

That statement alone tells you everything you need to know about the government's rhetoric. It falsely frames law-abiding firearm owners as street criminals. The reality? Not a single licensed shooter leaves their firearms "on the streets." Our equipment is locked securely inside approved safes, at registered storage locations, fully inspected and certified compliant by state police.

Instead of taking accountability, investigating a catastrophic bureaucratic failure, and fixing the glaring holes in intelligence sharing and licensing administration, the government has chosen to throw law-abiding firearm owners under the bus again. They are scapegoating the people who have done everything right in a brazen attempt to cover their own failures.

And now, Australian taxpayers are being forced to foot the bill for the most expensive confiscation scheme in our nation's history. Taxpayers are about to pay billions to seize the legal property of the most heavily vetted citizens in the country—all while the systemic incompetence that allowed a terrorist to get a firearm licence goes remains unaddressed.

Confiscating essential tools of trade from professional pest controllers, farmers, and sporting shooters will not stop a single terrorist. It will only destroy livelihoods, cripple small businesses, and put people out of work.

It is time for the government to stop making ordinary Australians pay for its administrative failures. What we actually need is real accountability, real intelligence sharing between ASIO and state police, and a licensing registry that communicates directly with federal watchlists.

What we do not need is the destruction of businesses, the loss of jobs, and the vilification of law-abiding firearm owners to save face for a government desperately deflecting from its own failures.

The only good thing is that the general public sees right through it this time. Very few are buying the political song and dance that licensed firearm owners are the problem—the public recognises this spin for exactly what it is.

Now is the time to stand up and back politicians who are calling for action against terrorists and criminals, and who want to repeal this awfully rushed, terrible legislation that does nothing to improve public safety.

Official details here: National Gun Buyback Scheme - NSW