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The Coalition has ridiculed the federal government’s failure to roll out the national gun buyback scheme after it took almost eight months for a deal to be struck with Labor-led NSW while negotiations with other jurisdictions such as Victoria remain at a standstill.
Amid mounting pressure from the Nationals and One Nation to ditch the plan, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has encouraged dithering states to come on board, saying the Commonwealth is a “willing partner” and the door is open for negotiation.
Addressing the media on the sidelines of the Nationals’ annual conference on Sunday, party leader Matt Canavan said the buyback was a “knee-jerk response” to the Bondi massacre that was unfairly targeting lawful gun owners.
“We, the Nationals, stand up for people who have their rights trampled on, particularly by this Labor government. And we see today the Labor Party doubling down on what already is a failed gun buyback response,” Canavan said.
“This is a desperate attempt to keep on life support a scheme that was announced in the light of a tragedy, with no consultation, no forward-thinking, and is now causing enormous heartache for law-abiding Australians. It just needs to be dropped. It just needs to be gotten rid of.”
On Sunday, alongside NSW Premier Chris Minns, Albanese announced the November 2 start of the buyback scheme in that state. The scheme will offer owners between $450 and $1000 for individual weapons, with costs split evenly between the state and federal governments. A specific cost for the scheme was not provided.
“I’m not going to skirt it. It’s expensive, but it’s a price worth paying,” Minns said, while Albanese highlighted the greater “cost of inaction” through loss of life.
While the buyback has largely remained out of the public debate following its announcement, opposition from the ascendant One Nation and an attempt from the Nationals to repeal supporting legislation in the Senate this week will throw the faltering scheme back into the spotlight.
Even with support from the Liberals and One Nation, the Nationals’ push to repeal the laws is likely to fail as Labor and the Greens control a majority in the Senate.
Albanese will use a national cabinet meeting later this month to advocate for other states to come on board despite fierce pushback from the Coalition-led jurisdictions of Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Newly minted Victorian Premier Ben Carroll said he would take advice from Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush on “what resources he needs” when asked on Sunday why his predecessor Jacinta Allan had rejected the push. Bush told journalists the buyback was “a matter for the government”.
“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure our Victorian police have every resource they need to combat and reduce crime,” said Carroll, who will face a three-way fight against the Coalition and One Nation at November’s election.
Gun Control Australia spokesman Piers Grove applauded Sunday’s announcement from NSW and called on remaining states to look to the 1996 Howard government buybacks to find political courage.
“Australians are almost universally proud of that reform, and we’re absolutely stuffing it up this time with political expedience. We need to put public health as the north star as we go through this and put it above politics,” Grove said.
However, the federal Liberal Party remains opposed, with opposition home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam echoing the Nationals’ argument that the buyback made “scapegoats” of gun owners.
“Labor announced a national gun buyback, but what Albanese has delivered is a deal with one state. That tells you everything about how badly Labor has handled this from the beginning,” Duniam told this masthead.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said the policy was “crucifying those legal gun owners”, and said it should not fall to the taxpayer to foot the bill.
Chris Byrne, manager of gun retailer Tough Gear, said the proposed valuations were “a laughable amount”.
“Those things are costing $2500 to $3000 just for the pistol alone, let alone extra magazines that they utilise,” Byrne said, arguing the offered amount was a disincentive for owners to hand over their weapons.
“If they’re forced to, I guess they have no choice. But willingly putting it forward? It’s like me saying: ‘OK, your vehicle, now we’re going to give you $850 for your vehicle that’s worth $3000. Would you like to hand it up?’ I don’t think so.”
A second phase of the scheme, to begin in early 2027, will target higher-value firearms and offer between $3000 and $10,000 per firearm. Gun retailers will be able to access grants of up to $25,000.
Kym Adams, treasurer of the ACT’s Sporting Shooters Association, said her household held around $25,000 worth of firearms associated with her husband’s work as a professional shooter. Adams said the plan ignored the $75,000 worth of accessories the couple owned, and they would be left without a second-hand market to offload the items.
“We’re law-abiding citizens. Our firearms are secure in our homes, and we’re being penalised for something we simply didn’t do.”
With Ashleigh McMillan
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Nick Newling is a federal politics reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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