Federal government to fund majority of ACT gun buyback scheme
The ACT government committed to being part of a national gun buyback scheme in the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, but until now it has remained in negotiation with the federal government over how it would be funded.
The federal and ACT governments have reached an agreement on funding for a national gun buyback scheme in the territory. The Commonwealth will cover 75% of the buybacks and administrative costs, while the ACT will shoulder the remaining costs. Firearm destruction will be entirely funded by the Commonwealth at 100%. The specifics of when the scheme will commence and the compensation offered for surrendered firearms remain undecided.
This agreement follows a national commitment to strengthen gun laws after the Bondi Beach terrorist attack in December. It makes the ACT the second jurisdiction to join the national buyback scheme, with New South Wales starting its scheme on November 2. ACT Police Minister Marisa Paterson stated that the territory government will collaborate with the Commonwealth to finalize the agreement parameters.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the scheme aims to prevent similar terror attacks by taking guns off the streets. Currently, there are around 23,000 firearms in the ACT, with approximately 7,000 licensed gun owners, and 14% of them expected to be affected by the proposed firearm cap. ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr highlighted that the agreement strengthens community safety by reducing high-risk firearms in circulation.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
