Australia’s federal government has announced sweeping new firearms restrictions, including a nationwide gun buyback, following a terror attack in Sydney that left 15 people dead — the country’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the measures were prompted by last Sunday’s attack in the Bondi area, where two gunmen opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered to celebrate Hanukkah at Archer Park near Bondi Beach. Dozens were wounded.
Authorities say the violence was motivated by extremist ideology linked to Islamic State.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Albanese said the attack exposed serious gaps in existing gun regulations. “The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets,” he said.
The proposed buyback would be the largest since reforms enacted after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which ushered in some of the strictest gun controls globally.
Despite those reforms, Mr Albanese said firearm ownership has since increased. More than four million guns are now in circulation nationwide — exceeding the number in Australia three decades ago.
Australia’s federal government has announced sweeping new firearms restrictions, including a nationwide gun buyback, following a terror attack in Sydney that left 15 people dead — the country’s deadliest mass shooting in nearly 30 years.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the measures were prompted by last Sunday’s attack in the Bondi area, where two gunmen opened fire on a crowd of more than 1,000 people gathered to celebrate Hanukkah at Archer Park near Bondi Beach. Dozens were wounded.
Authorities say the violence was motivated by extremist ideology linked to Islamic State.
Speaking on Friday, Mr Albanese said the attack exposed serious gaps in existing gun regulations. “The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets,” he said.
The proposed buyback would be the largest since reforms enacted after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which ushered in some of the strictest gun controls globally.
Despite those reforms, Mr Albanese said firearm ownership has since increased. More than four million guns are now in circulation nationwide — exceeding the number in Australia three decades ago.
“We know that one of these terrorists held a firearm licence and had six guns, in spite of living in the middle of Sydney’s suburbs,” he said. “There’s no reason why someone in that situation needed that many guns.”
Under the plan, the federal government will purchase newly banned, illegal, and surplus firearms, with costs split evenly between Canberra and state and territory governments.
National cabinet has also agreed to cap the number of guns an individual may own, end open-ended licences, further limit the types of firearms that can be legally held, and require Australian citizenship for gun licence eligibility.
Authorities will also fast-track work on a national firearms register, expanding regulators’ access to criminal intelligence databases.
Police say one alleged attacker, Naveed Akram, 24, has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder, terrorism offences, placing an explosive near a building with intent to cause harm, and displaying the symbol of a prohibited terrorist organisation.
His father, Sajid, was shot dead by police at the scene. Investigators allege the two acted together, though inquiries remain ongoing.
New South Wales Health reported on Friday that 15 people remained hospitalised, with four listed in critical but stable condition.
In a separate development, police confirmed they were preparing to release seven men detained in Sydney’s south-west under rarely used national security powers allowing suspects to be held without charge for up to a week.
The men, who had travelled from Victoria, were intercepted after intelligence suggested “a violent act was possibly being planned.”
New South Wales police commissioner Mal Lanyon said there was “no confirmed link” between the group and the Bondi attackers, although investigators believe they shared elements of “extremist Islamic ideology.” Only a knife was recovered, and no firearms were found.
“Whilst the 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,” Mr Lanyon said.
Deputy commissioner David Hudson said Bondi was among several locations the group may have intended to visit, though no definitive intent had been established.
Security has since been heightened across Sydney, including at synagogues and mosques. Islamic State has praised the Bondi attack as a “source of pride” on its Telegram channel but has not formally claimed responsibility.
As forensic work concluded on Thursday, Bondi Beach and surrounding areas reopened.
On Friday, hundreds of swimmers and surfers entered the water in a large circle to honour those killed, while members of Australia’s Jewish community gathered on the sand for prayers, reading victims’ names aloud.
Community leaders described the scenes as deeply moving amid heightened concerns over antisemitism since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
“Over the past two years, there’s been a lot of people questioning whether we’re still welcome here in Australia,” Rabbi Yosef Eichenblatt of Sydney’s Central Synagogue told ABC News. “So it’s been so heart-warming to see the outpouring of love and support.”
Funerals have begun, including for London-born Rabbi Eli Schlanger, 41, an assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and a father of five.
Addressing mourners, his father-in-law, Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, said it was “unthinkable we talk about you in the past tense.”
Public support has also surged, with more than $5 million donated through verified fundraising pages, according to GoFundMe.
Among them is A$2.5 million raised for Ahmed al Ahmed, a Sydney shop owner who disarmed one of the attackers before being shot twice.
Speaking from his hospital bed while presented with an oversized cheque, Mr Ahmed urged people worldwide to “stand with each other.”
Mr Albanese said Sunday would be observed as a day of reflection, with a national day of mourning planned for the new year in consultation with the Jewish community.
THE THIRD FORCE
