In response to the deadly Bondi Beach attack, the Australian government has announced a major gun buyback scheme, the largest since the Port Arthur massacre in 1996. That historic tragedy, which claimed 35 lives, prompted Australia to introduce some of the world’s strictest gun control measures—a legacy the new scheme seeks to expand upon.

Bondi Beach Terror Attack Sparks Urgent Action

On Sunday, two gunmen opened fire at a Jewish festival at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. Authorities believe the attackers, a father-son duo, were motivated by Islamic State ideology. Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act. His father, Sajid, was killed during the incident.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have declared the attack a terrorist incident and are coordinating with state and territory authorities to prevent further threats. While seven men previously detained in Sydney for extremist ideology have been released, they remain under surveillance.

Government Approves Major Gun Buyback

In the wake of the attack, Australia’s national cabinet—comprising federal and state leaders—agreed on urgent gun reforms. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted that Australia now has over 4 million firearms, exceeding numbers from the time of the Port Arthur massacre.

“We know that one of these terrorists held a firearm licence and had six guns, despite living in suburban Sydney. There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns,” Albanese said.

AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett emphasized that the buyback is a crucial step in reducing firearm numbers. The new program will:

• Purchase surplus, banned, and illegal firearms
• Be funded 50-50 by the federal government and states
• Collect and destroy hundreds of thousands of firearms

Additional measures include limits on the number of firearms an individual can own, restrictions on open-ended firearm licences, tighter control over types of guns legally available, and requiring Australian citizenship for firearm ownership.

Strengthening Enforcement and Monitoring

The government plans to accelerate the development of a national firearms register, giving regulators better access to criminal intelligence and improving tracking of gun ownership. NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon noted that, while a separate group of men detained for extremist ideology had no confirmed link to Bondi Beach, authorities were monitoring potential threats to prevent violent incidents.

“Whilst this specific threat posed by the males is unknown, the potential for a violent offence was such that we were not prepared to tolerate the risk,” Lanyon said.

Lessons from Port Arthur and a Safer Future

This new gun buyback scheme represents a historic step in Australia’s commitment to gun safety, reflecting lessons learned from previous attacks and the need to modernize firearms legislation. The government is moving swiftly to combine prevention, regulation, and enforcement, aiming to make public spaces safer and reduce the risk of mass shootings in the future.