NSW Parliament rejects motion to scrap firearm buyback scheme

A motion to scrap a controversial firearms buyback scheme in New South Wales failed in Parliament on Wednesday, with the vote tallying 31 against 47. The motion, brought by independent Member for Barwon Roy Butler, sought to disallow the Firearms Amendment (Transitional Provisions) Regulation 2026.

Mr. Butler criticized the government for gagging debate and argued that compensation for the buyback is ‘woefully inadequate,’ noting that costs for custom rifles and optics are often not fully covered. He expressed disappointment that members were unable to speak freely on the matter.

Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh supported the motion, stating that the laws were ‘unnecessary, unfair, unworkable’ and would not effectively remove illegal firearms from the streets. Conversely, Labor’s Nathan Hagarty defended the government's position, citing recommendations from the Royal Commission into the Bondi attack regarding national gun buyback schemes.

The proposed two-phase scheme includes an initial phase starting November 2, offering up to $1,000 for select firearms. A second phase, scheduled for early 2027, would provide a pathway for compensation for higher-value firearms with market values above $3,000, capped at $10,000 per firearm.