Hopes for a national gun buyback scheme have been dealt a blow after the deadline for states and territories to sign on expired this week, leaving the future of firearms reform across Australia unresolved.
The federal government promised to buy back surplus and illegal firearms from Australia’s more than four million licensed gun owners in the wake of the Bondi massacre. But the deadline for state and territory parliaments to legislate their support passed on Wednesday, 1 July.
Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory have all signalled they are walking away from the proposed reforms, which would have required each state to contribute half the cost of buying back firearms. Western Australia has already implemented its own scheme, with Tasmania following suit, leaving only NSW and the ACT yet to sign on to a national approach.
A federal government spokesperson would not say whether the deadline for states to legislate would be extended, but indicated the scheme would proceed regardless, pointing to an existing agreement reached through national cabinet.
The stalled scheme has drawn criticism from Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey, who said Labor had misjudged its response to the Chanukah Massacre at Bondi Beach last December.
“What happened at Bondi was horrific,” Mr Chaffey said.
“But this legislation without consultation, without consideration and without a thought for the consequences for the close to one million law-abiding gun owners was an outrageous response.”
“There are farmers, gun-shop owners, hunters and pest control specialists who are facing losing their livelihood, and sporting shooters who have been left totally confused.”
“The states’ responses to this latest round of legislation without consultation shows just how wide of the mark Labor is in making gun owners a scapegoat for their own lack of action on antisemitism. And to make matters worse, the Coalition fought hard against this legislation, only to have the voice of regional Australia once again overturned by another dirty deal between Labor and the Greens.”
Nationals Leader Senator Matt Canavan said the laws had targeted the wrong people.
“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.”
Senator Canavan’s account of the royal commission’s findings sits alongside the federal government’s position that the inquiry has backed a national buyback, a point of dispute between the two sides that remains unresolved.
A Shooters Union Australia report estimates the scheme could have cost up to $15 billion, a figure it says the government has declined to confirm or release official costings for.
National Rifle Association of Australia executive officer Steve Bingley said the policy needed proper scrutiny.
“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.”
The uncertainty has hit regional retailers. Monaro Arms owner Scott Keogh said his business had recorded a 30 per cent drop in sales since the Chanukah Massacre, as customers held off buying while the legislation remained unresolved.
“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,” Mr Keogh said.
Sporting Shooters’ Association of Australia CEO Tom Kenyon said the rushed process had damaged the National Firearms 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.
With NSW yet to formally commit and the federal government insisting the scheme will proceed regardless of Wednesday’s missed deadline, the question of whether a national buyback goes ahead, and in what form, remains open.
Got something you want to say about this story? Have your say on our opinion and comment hub, New England Times Engage