Key facts
- Australia's capital, Canberra, will participate in a national gun buyback program.
- The initiative is a response to a shooting at a Bondi Beach celebration that killed 15 people.
- New laws enacted in January mandate the buyback, tighter license checks, and a crackdown on hate speech.
- The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has committed to the scheme.
- The ACT has 23,000 registered firearms and over 7,000 license holders.
- The gunmen in the Bondi Beach attack used legally obtained firearms.
Australia's capital, Canberra, will join a national gun buyback program as part of the government's response to a deadly shooting spree at a Bondi Beach celebration. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) commitment to the initiative, which aims to remove firearms from circulation and enhance public safety.
The federal government enacted laws in January mandating the gun buyback, alongside stricter checks for gun licenses and measures to combat hate speech. These actions were prompted by the December 14 attack at a Hanukkah celebration, where 15 people were killed. New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, was the first to commit to the plan, set to launch on November 2.
Albanese expressed gratitude to the ACT government for their collaboration, stating the goal is to prevent future antisemitic terrorist attacks. The ACT currently has approximately 23,000 registered firearms and over 7,000 license holders. Details on when the ACT buyback will commence were not immediately available.
The perpetrators of the Bondi Beach attack, a father and son reportedly inspired by Islamic State, used firearms that were legally obtained. The surviving suspect faces multiple murder charges. Australia recorded a record 4.1 million firearms last year. This buyback is anticipated to be the largest since a similar campaign following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, where 35 people were killed.