Australia's NSW to launch gun buyback scheme in November

Australia's most populous state will launch a major gun buyback scheme on November 2, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on August 16, 2026, fulfilling a key promise made after the deadly Bondi Beach attack last year. The scheme in New South Wales is designed to remove an estimated 274,000 firearms from circulation, making it the largest such initiative since the national buyback following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

The buyback is a direct response to the mass shooting on December 14, 2025, at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people. Police allege the attack was carried out by a father-and-son duo and was inspired by the Islamic State group. The surviving suspect, Naveed Akram, faces multiple charges, including 15 counts of murder. Investigations found the attackers used powerful firearms that were legally obtained.

In the aftermath, the New South Wales government passed laws limiting individual gun ownership to four firearms. The new buyback scheme will compensate owners who surrender weapons beyond this new limit. Under the federally funded initiative, owners will receive up to A$1,000 (approximately US$700) per handgun or rifle. The federal...