Will other states follow NSW into the national gun buy-back scheme – and will it make any difference?
Anthony Albanese has the NSW premier on board for the national scheme – but other states remain undecided or implacably opposed.
The gun debate in Australia has resurfaced with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns announcing a national gun buyback scheme on Sunday, set to commence on November 2. However, not all states have committed to the scheme, with some, such as Queensland and the Northern Territory, opposing it entirely. The scheme, which will pay up to $10,000 for firearms exceeding $3,000 in value, aims to remove around 274,000 guns from circulation, but its cost is estimated to reach "hundreds of millions of dollars" and will be shared 50-50 between the state and federal governments.
Despite initial hesitation, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have shown support for the national approach, while South Australia and Tasmania have differing opinions on the matter. The question remains whether this new buyback scheme will make a significant impact on reducing gun violence in Australia.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
