Full Breakdown
Canberra to Join Australia’s Largest Gun Buyback After Bondi Beach Attack
8/23/2026, 12:25:40 AM
Background and Legislative Response
On December 14, 2025, a shooting spree at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Sydney killed 15 people. In the aftermath, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s centre-left government introduced new gun-control measures in January, including a nationwide buy-back program, tighter checks on firearm licences and a crackdown on hate-motivated violence.
ACT Participation Details
On August 22, Albanese announced that the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), home to the national capital Canberra, will join the buy-back scheme. The ACT government reports roughly 23,000 firearms and more than 7,000 licence holders within its jurisdiction. While New South Wales will launch its portion of the program on November 2, the ACT has not disclosed when its own buy-back will begin or what compensation will be offered to participants. Federal Home Minister Tony Burke indicated that those details remain unsettled, but confirmed that the ACT’s inclusion in the program is now “settled.”
Official Statements & Responses
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr described the agreement as a step that strengthens community safety and supports effective firearm reforms. Burke emphasized that the agreement with the ACT is finalised, even as specific implementation terms are still being negotiated.
Data and Statistics
The Australian government has reported a record 4.1 million firearms in the country in 2025. New South Wales, the nation’s most populous state, accounts for nearly one-quarter of those guns. The upcoming buy-back will be the largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when a similar campaign followed the killing of 35 people.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the status of ACT-specific details: the government statement confirms participation, yet Burke’s remarks suggest that compensation and timing remain unresolved. No official timeline or payment scheme for the ACT has been released, leaving a gap in public information about how the program will be executed locally.
