The biggest gun buyback in 30 years begins in NSW today, with the first firearms set to be surrendered as part of the Minns Labor Government's commitment to reduce the number of guns in the community and help make NSW safer.
From today, those who have signed up to participate in Phase 1 of the National Gun Buyback will begin surrendering their firearms and receive compensation in up to 10 days.
Appointments for the Buyback opened last week, with 331 appointments already booked to surrender 2,430 firearms, as well as 194 ammunition items of one kilogram or more.
The number one responsibility of any government is community safety, and we know from the success of the Port Arthur buyback that taking guns out of the community is an important part of reducing the risk of gun violence.
Support for the firearms industry will also begin today, with the Minns Labor Government providing eligible businesses with a one-off targeted payment of up to $25,000, while eligible dealers can also access up to $500 in one-off licence fee relief.
Following the Bondi terror attack - the deadliest terrorist attack in Australia's history, which claimed 15 innocent lives - the Minns Labor Government passed legislation to give NSW the strongest gun laws in the country.
The National Gun Buyback Scheme is one part of the NSW Government's broader package of legislative of firearm reforms designed to strengthen oversight, reduce risk and reduce the number of firearms in the community.
These include mandatory safe storage checks, stronger identity checks, reducing firearm licence periods from five years to two, and tighter review rights for licensing decisions.
The National Gun Buyback Scheme
Establishing a buyback was a direct recommendation from the interim report of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, of which all recommendations were accepted by the NSW Government.
The buyback provides compensation to eligible licence holders who now hold firearms above the new ownership caps or whose firearms have been reclassified, as well as a flat rate payment of $150 for associated ammunition of 1kg or more.
Compensation in Phase 1 is available under a fixed price schedule, ranging from $450 to $1000.
Eligible licence holders must submit an online request via the Gun Safe portal in order to book to surrender firearms and associated ammunition at a participating police station. Safe storage and transportation must be followed at all times by licence holders. Walk-ins to police stations will not be accepted.
Phase 2 of the NSW Buyback Scheme, commencing in early 2027, will provide a pathway to compensation, for a fee, for eligible higher-value firearms with an indicative market value above $3,000, capped at $10,000 per firearm.
The NSW scheme will operate for 12 months, giving affected licence holders time to understand their obligations under the new laws and safely surrender eligible firearms.
A small number of licence holders may be eligible to apply to the Commissioner of Police for additional firearms above the cap, in limited and exceptional circumstances. A copy of the draft regulation proposed for these limited and exceptional circumstances is attached. The NSW Police Force will continue to engage with the Firearms Registry Consultative Council and key stakeholders.
Around 18 per cent of NSW firearm licence holders are affected by the new caps and reclassifications, with up to 274,000 firearms estimated to be eligible for surrender under the Scheme.
From today, six police stations are accepting surrenders; Sutherland, Penrith, Narellan, Grafton, Griffith and Dubbo Police Station.
Thirty-four additional stations across NSW will come online from Tuesday, 1 December and further stations in the new year. By February, 146 police stations across the state will be accepting surrenders under the Buyback.
Any licence holder who is uncertain if or how to participate should visit National Gun Buyback Scheme - NSW Police Public Site
