Australia is set to roll out its largest-ever national gun buyback program, following the devastating attack at a Jewish holiday gathering near Sydney’s Bondi Beach that claimed 15 lives. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the move is aimed at sharply reducing the number of firearms in circulation and preventing future tragedies.
Calling the initiative the most significant gun reform since 1996, Albanese said authorities will buy back surplus, newly banned, and illegal firearms from across the country. That year marked the Port Arthur massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in Australia’s modern history, which reshaped the nation’s gun laws.
“Right now, Australia has more guns than it did after Port Arthur, and that cannot continue,” Albanese said, noting that more than four million firearms are currently registered nationwide. He stressed that firearm ownership must be strictly limited, adding that civilians do not need multiple weapons.
Under the plan, state and territory governments will oversee firearm collection and compensation payments, while federal police will handle the destruction of surrendered weapons. Officials estimate that hundreds of thousands of guns could be removed through the program.
Australia already has some of the world’s strictest gun laws and one of the lowest gun homicide rates globally. After the 1996 massacre, a nationwide buyback removed more than 650,000 prohibited weapons, a move widely credited with reducing gun violence.
The Bondi Beach attack has reignited national reflection. Authorities said the attackers, a father and son, were influenced by extremist ideology. One was killed at the scene, while the other faces terrorism and murder charges.
In response to rising hate crimes, Albanese also announced tougher hate speech laws, saying the violence marked an attack not just on the Jewish community but on Australian values as a whole.
Australia will observe a national day of reflection one week after the attack, with citizens encouraged to light candles in remembrance. Across Bondi Beach, swimmers and surfers have already gathered in emotional tributes, symbolising unity, resilience, and a refusal to let hatred define the nation.
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