The Australian government has announced a nationwide gun buyback scheme following the Bondi Beach attack, the country’s deadliest mass shooting in decades. The decision comes after fifteen people were killed and dozens were injured on Sunday when two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish festival at Sydney’s most iconic beach.
Authorities said the attackers were motivated by Islamic State ideology, prompting police to declare the incident a terrorist attack formally. In response, the federal government convened the national cabinet, bringing together leaders from all states and territories to agree on urgent gun control measures.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the buyback scheme on Friday, describing it as the largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. That attack left 35 people dead and led Australia to introduce some of the world’s strictest firearm laws. However, Albanese warned that gun numbers have since increased, with more than four million firearms now in circulation nationwide.
Details of the buyback scheme
Under the new scheme, authorities will purchase surplus, newly banned and illegal firearms, with the federal government and states sharing costs equally. Officials estimate that hundreds of thousands of guns will be collected and destroyed once the program begins.
Albanese stressed that reducing gun numbers remains essential to public safety. He pointed out that one of the Bondi attackers legally held a firearm licence and owned six guns while living in suburban Sydney. According to the prime minister, there was no justification for such extensive access to weapons in an urban setting.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett supported the initiative, stating that a buyback scheme must form part of any serious effort to reduce gun violence. She said the program would address gaps that have emerged since earlier reforms.
Stricter limits on firearm ownership
In addition to the buyback, national cabinet agreed on several legislative changes. These include limits on how many firearms an individual can own, tighter restrictions on open-ended licences and further controls on the types of guns permitted.
The government will also make Australian citizenship a requirement for holding a firearm licence. At the same time, authorities will fast-track the development of a national firearms register, giving regulators improved access to criminal intelligence across jurisdictions.
Police investigations continue
Meanwhile, police confirmed that the Bondi Beach attack was carried out by a father and son. Naveed Akram, 24, now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. His father, Sajid Akram, was killed during the assault.
Separately, New South Wales Police announced they would release seven men arrested in Sydney over extremist ideology. Although officers found a knife during the operation, they recovered no firearms. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said there was no confirmed link between the group and the Bondi attackers, but authorities would continue monitoring them.
