The Australian federal government will fund 75% of the gun buyback program in the ACT
The Australian federal government and the government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have agreed to fund a firearms buyback program. The ACT will join a nationwide initiative to strengthen Australia’s gun laws, according to ABC News Australia.
Under the agreement, the federal government will cover 75% of the costs of the buyback and related administrative expenses. It will also fully cover the cost of destroying the surrendered firearms. The ACT government will cover the remaining costs.
The agreement was reached following negotiations between the territory’s government and federal authorities. The ACT committed to joining the program after the terrorist attack on Bondi Beach last December. Following the attack, Australia’s National Cabinet announced its intention to combat antisemitism and strengthen gun laws.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that nationwide reform of gun control is essential to prevent a recurrence of anti-Semitic terrorist attacks similar to the one that occurred at Bondi. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr called reducing the number of high-risk firearms a practical measure to ensure the safety of Canberra residents. He also acknowledged that the vast majority of licensed gun owners are responsible and law-abiding.
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According to the ABC, there are approximately 23,000 firearms in the ACT, and more than 7,000 people hold licenses for them. The proposed limit on the number of firearms is expected to affect about 14% of license holders.
The territory’s government has also introduced the Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026. It proposes a limit of five firearms per licensed owner, with exceptions for professional and sporting purposes that would allow for up to ten firearms. The bill also proposes to criminalize the possession of 3D-printing blueprints for firearms, ban belt-fed firearms, and revise the classification of firearm types. The bill is still under consideration by the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The start date of the program in the ACT and the amount of compensation for each weapon surrendered are expected to be announced in the coming days. The state of New South Wales announced last week that it will be the first to launch the national buyback program on November 2.
