Liberals follow One Nation on gun laws to make NSW streets less safe

ARAB NEWS ( Sydney- AUSTRALIA )Saturday, 19 September 2026- The NSW Liberals and Nationals have put politics ahead of public safety, today announcing they would halt the NSW gun buyback and unwind key firearms restrictions introduced after the Bondi terrorist attack.

It is a stunning backflip that would leave more guns in circulation and unwinds key community safety protections introduced after the worst terror attack in our state.

The retreat follows a decision by the Coalition this week to abandon support for interim recommendations from the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, with the two parties voting in favour of a disallowance motion to water down our reforms in the NSW Parliament on Wednesday.

In the aftermath of Bondi, the Liberals backed stronger gun laws, including limits on the number of guns licence holders can own, and restrictions on high-powered firearms.

This is what the risk looks like when the Liberals and Nationals start following One Nation.

On an issue as serious as gun safety, the Coalition has gone from supporting stronger laws after Bondi to promising to unwind them as One Nation campaigns for them to be repealed.

There are now more registered guns in Australia than there were at the time of the Port Arthur massacre nearly 30 years ago.

The NSW gun buyback is scheduled to commence on 2 November, providing compensation to licence holders for firearms affected by the new ownership limits and reclassification of certain types of firearms.

Up to 274,000 registered firearms, or around one in four registered firearms in NSW, are estimated to be affected. However, it’s estimated only 49,000 licence holders are affected – just over 18%, with the vast majority of licence holders in NSW already compliant with the Government’s gun laws.

The need to reduce the number of firearms in the community is clear, with at least one gun reported stolen to NSW Police every day. Between January and August this year, State Crime Command also seized 326 firearms.

The reforms introduced after the Bondi terrorist attack also include stronger background checks and reducing standard firearms licence periods from five years to two – something the NSW Liberals and Nationals will also reverse.

The contrast couldn’t be clearer. The Minns Labor Government is getting on with making NSW safer, while the Liberals and Nationals are walking backwards on gun laws and following One Nation.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“After 15 innocent people were murdered at Bondi, we strengthened our gun laws. The Liberals supported those laws.

“This is a glimpse of what a Liberal, National and One Nation government would mean for NSW – One Nation pushing the agenda, the Coalition following, and important community safety laws being wound back.

“Our position is simple and it has not and will not change: fewer dangerous guns in circulation means a safer NSW.

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