Gun laws of Australia

Gun laws in Australia are predominantly within the jurisdiction of Australian states and territories, with the importation of guns regulated by the federal government. In the last two decades of the 20th century, following several high-profile killing sprees, the federal government coordinated more restrictive firearms legislation with all state governments.

Gun laws were largely aligned in 1996 by the National Firearms Agreement. In two federally funded gun buybacks and voluntary surrenders and State Governments' gun amnesties before and after the Port Arthur Massacre, more than a million firearms were collected and destroyed, possibly a third of the national stock.^[1]

A person must have a firearm licence to possess or use a firearm. Licence holders must demonstrate a "genuine reason" (which does not include self-defence) for holding a firearm licence^[2] and must not be a "prohibited person". All firearms must be registered by serial number to the owner.

In December 2023 National Cabinet agreed to implement a national firearms register within four years.^[3]

^ Alpers, Philip (11 June 2014). "Gun control: Change is possible – and fast". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2019. In two nationwide, federally funded gun buybacks, plus large-scale voluntary surrenders and state gun amnesties both before and after Port Arthur, Australia collected and destroyed more than a million firearms, perhaps one-third of the national stock.
^ Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) s 12
^ Roberts, Georgia (6 December 2023). "The four things you need to know about Wednesday's national cabinet meeting". ABC News. National firearms register. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024. "The register will address significant gaps and inconsistencies with the way firearms are managed across all jurisdictions," the prime minister said. The national cabinet will work towards the register being fully operational within four years.

[1] Alpers, Philip (11 June 2014). "Gun control: Change is possible – and fast". CNN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2019. In two nationwide, federally funded gun buybacks, plus large-scale voluntary surrenders and state gun amnesties both before and after Port Arthur, Australia collected and destroyed more than a million firearms, perhaps one-third of the national stock.

[2] Firearms Act 1996 (NSW) s 12

[3] Roberts, Georgia (6 December 2023). "The four things you need to know about Wednesday's national cabinet meeting". ABC News. National firearms register. Archived from the original on 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024. "The register will address significant gaps and inconsistencies with the way firearms are managed across all jurisdictions," the prime minister said. The national cabinet will work towards the register being fully operational within four years.

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