Gun debate fires up with reload on buyback pushback

The recent pushback on the NSW gun buyback scheme has reignited a heated debate surrounding gun safety measures in Australia. The state opposition, led by Kellie Sloane, is proposing to freeze the buyback plan and overturn firearms restrictions in light of the Bondi massacre. The buyback scheme, which is scheduled to commence on November 2, aims to compensate licence holders for firearms under new ownership limits and the reclassification of certain weapons.

However, Ms Sloane has expressed more concern about combating community safety threats such as organised crime, gangland violence, terrorism, and illegal trafficking. Labor's rushed legislative process without adequate stakeholder consultation has come under fire from Police and Counter-terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley, who accused the Liberal party of a "stunning backflip" that would leave more guns in circulation.

Catley emphasized that the state's recent protections were implemented following the worst terror attack in NSW history. While some, like NSW Farmers president Rebecca Reardon, have welcomed the opposition's move, licensed firearm owners, sporting shooters, and collectors have criticized the government's reaction to the Bondi shootings.

The government tightened its laws following the massacre, introducing gun ownership limits, reclassifying weapons, boosting background checks, and reducing firearms licences from five years to two. The federal government has also signed on to participate in the gun buyback scheme, but several states, including Queensland, the Northern Territory, and South Australia, have declined to join.