Australian government strikes deal on gun buyback scheme, Hanson opposed
Australia's federal government and the New South Wales government have reached agreement on a major firearms buyback scheme following the Bondi beach terror attack, though One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has voiced opposition.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New South Wales Premier Chris Minns are set to announce a major gun buyback scheme in Sydney, part of the government response to the Bondi beach terror attack. Legislation enabling the plan was passed by parliament earlier this year.
The scheme will run in two phases, with costs split evenly between the federal and NSW governments. Under the first phase, owners will receive $1,000 for revolvers and $850 for semi-automatic handguns. Double-barrel shotguns will be compensated at $850, while single-barrel shotguns will receive $650. Rifle owners will be paid between $650 and $1,000, and air rifles carry a fixed payment of $450.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has spoken out against the scheme, arguing taxpayers should not fund it. She said the buyback would affect law-abiding Australians, including farmers who rely on firearms for their work, adding that different guns serve different purposes and that she herself holds a gun licence.
Hanson also called for a sharp reduction in international student numbers, criticising the system set up by universities as being used as a backdoor route into the country by some students who later apply for residency.
The firearms buyback follows a broader agreement reached by Australia's national cabinet to combat antisemitism and tighten gun restrictions nationwide in the wake of the deadly shooting in December 2025.
