Jeff Bacon, weapons maker, joins One Nation to challenge NSW post-Bondi gun reforms

Managing director Jeff Bacon of Oceania Precision announced his candidacy for One Nation’s upper-house ticket in the March 2026 NSW state election. Bacon argues that “every single one” of the rifles his company produces has been banned under the recent NSW firearms reforms.

The Guardian

The antisemitic attack on 14 December, in which 15 people were killed during Hanukah celebrations, prompted the NSW Labor-Liberal government to pass sweeping gun reforms in December 2025. The measures limit recreational licence holders to four firearms, primary producers to ten, and introduce a joint state-federal buy-back of prohibited weapons. NSW is the only state to join the federal scheme, which is scheduled to begin on 2 November. The reforms also recategorise straight-pull and lever-release rifles, rendering them illegal for recreational licences after a 12-month surrender period.

The Guardian

• A survey cited by Bacon and One Nation suggests roughly half of NSW dealers face closure.

The Guardian

• The Sydney Morning Herald Resolve poll (September) placed One Nation at 25 % of the primary vote in NSW, the Coalition at 24 %.

The Guardian

• The same poll indicated 63 % of all voters supported the post-Bondi reforms, 19 % opposed them, with the remainder undecided.

The Guardian

• One alleged Bondi shooter, Indian national Sajid Akram, owned six weapons on a recreational licence, including straight-pull rifles now prohibited.

The Guardian

The Liberal Party announced it would scrap caps for primary producers and freeze the buy-back while an inquiry proceeds. The NSW Nationals voted against the December reforms, whereas the Liberal Party initially supported them. Bacon and One Nation did not respond to requests for comment.

The Guardian

• “One Nation will repeal the firearms element of the Terrorism and Other Legislation Amendment Act, restoring rights to what they were when we had a functioning system before December last year, when the Minns government and the Liberal party rushed legislation through on Christmas Eve.” — Jeff Bacon

The Guardian

• “The outrage is being led by commercial interests in the firearm industry. Mr Bacon and everyone else needs to understand that times change,” — Stephen Bendle

The Guardian