Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Launches Major National Gun Buyback Initiative Following Bondi Attack

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a comprehensive national gun buyback scheme, marking the most significant firearms removal initiative since John Howard's landmark program following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

The new buyback program will operate under the same framework as the 1996 approach, focusing on acquiring surplus firearms, newly banned weapons, and illegal guns currently in circulation. Albanese presented the announcement to reporters in Canberra on Friday, framing the measure as a necessary response to recent violence in Australia.

The announcement comes directly after the tragic Bondi Beach shooting, which claimed multiple lives in an antisemitic terror attack. The incident has prompted the government to accelerate its push for stricter gun control measures and removal of firearms from public access.

In tandem with the gun buyback scheme, both the federal government and New South Wales government have designated Sunday, December 21, as an official day of reflection to commemorate the victims of the Bondi attack. On this date, all New South Wales and Australian government building flags will be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect.

The government has committed to working collaboratively with the Jewish community to establish a national day of mourning dedicated to honoring those affected by the Bondi terror attack. This coordinated response underscores the government's intention to address both immediate security concerns and long-term gun violence prevention.

The buyback scheme represents a return to established gun control protocols that have shaped Australian firearms policy for nearly three decades, drawing on the legislative framework that followed Australia's most infamous mass shooting tragedy.