The Hon. Matt Canavan, Leader of The Nationals, Media Release, 2 July 2026

Labor’s proposed national gun buyback scheme has failed its own deadline, with states and territories rejecting to sign up to Labor’s unworkable proposal before laws were meant to be passed by 1 July.

The Prime Minister promised agreement by March and legislation by 1 July. In a win for common sense and the country’s one million law-abiding firearm owners, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has thankfully failed both.

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said rather than addressing criminals, extremists and illegal firearms, Labor’s firearms laws had unfairly targeted law-abiding Australians and was bad policy from the start.

“Labor’s proposed national buyback scheme and unworkable laws failed badly, because attacking lawful firearm owners was never the answer to the Bondi terror attack,” Senator Canavan said.

“This was confirmed by the interim report of the Royal Commission, which said that no state or federal agency reported that the laws as they stood at the time were insufficient to prevent an attack.

“Labor’s laws targeted the wrong people, punished regional communities and did nothing to deal with the real threats from criminals and extremists.

“States and territories have rightly walked away from this unworkable scheme because it went too far. The only thing Labor accomplished was demonising lawful firearm owners.”

Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory have either rejected, declined, or refused to participate in the Albanese Government’s attack on lawful firearm owners leaving Anthony Albanese with yet another broken promise. Since the 14 December Bondi attack, Labor has not introduced a single measure to strengthen Australia’s counter-terrorism responses. The Prime Minister also initially refused to hold a Royal Commission.

A Shooters Union Australia report, “Misfire – Estimating the impacts of a gun buyback scheme”, says despite the government refusing to release costings, industry estimates the scheme would cost up to $15 billion.

National Rifle Association of Australia executive officer Steve Bingley said firearms policy needs to be built on evidence and proper process. 

“A scheme of this scale demands thorough scrutiny, including extensive consultation with affected parties,” Mr Bingley said.

“Our licensed target rifle shooters are lawful, compliant participants in a highly regulated sport. They deserve policy that reflects that reality, rather than legislation designed without them in mind.”

ACT farmer and Monaro Arms owner Scott Keogh said the scheme threatened small businesses, volunteer trainers, sporting clubs and regional suppliers that support safe, lawful firearm ownership in communities across Australia.

“For farmers and landholders, firearms are not a hobby item, they are an essential tool for humane livestock management, pest animal control and protecting crops, pasture and native wildlife from feral pigs, foxes, rabbits, wild dogs and deer,” Mr Keogh said.

“Our business in the ACT, where the new laws have not yet been passed, has experienced a 30 per cent drop in sales since the Bondi attack. Until the ACT Government confirms the final legislation, many customers are understandably holding off on purchases, which has created significant uncertainty for both retailers and the shooting community.

“The government has still not released clear national costings, compensation details or implementation arrangements, leaving businesses, farmers and sporting organisations facing hardship and unnecessary uncertainty.”

Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia CEO Tom Kenyon said the Prime Minister’s and Premier Minns’ haste to deflect attention away from the failure of intelligence and policing has badly damaged the National Firearms Agreement, to the point where it can no longer be considered a national agreement.

“We are very pleased to see states around the country resisting knee-jerk actions and opting instead for rational and thoughtful firearms laws,” Mr Kenyon said.

Australian Clay Target Association chairman Michael Kruger-Davis said the association is deeply concerned the government moved to rush through reactive legislation that unfairly impacted law-abiding recreational and sporting shooters.

“The tragic Bondi shooting should not have been used as a catalyst for rushed, reactionary laws that penalise law-abiding recreational and sporting shooters,” Mr Kruger-Davis said.