Australia's capital to join gun buyback in response to Bondi Beach attack

Canberra, Australia's capital territory, will join a national gun buyback initiative as part of the response to a recent mass shooting that claimed 15 lives. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the Australian Capital Territory's (ACT) commitment to the plan on Saturday, August 22. The initiative aims to enhance public safety and prevent future antisemitic terrorist attacks, referencing the deadly incident at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah celebration. The federal government had previously enacted stricter gun laws in January, including the buyback program and tighter licensing requirements, following the December 14 attack. New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, was the first to officially commit to the buyback, scheduled to launch on November 2. The ACT's participation signifies a unified national effort to remove firearms from circulation. Albanese expressed gratitude for the ACT government's collaboration, stating, "I thank the ACT Government for their collaboration as we work to take guns off our streets in order to better protect Australians." The ACT currently has 23,000 registered firearms and over 7,000 licensed holders. Details on the specific start date for the ACT buyback were not immediately available. The perpetrators of the Bondi Beach attack, a father and son allegedly inspired by the Islamic State, used legally obtained firearms. The surviving suspect faces 15 murder charges. This buyback is poised to be Australia's largest since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, where a gunman killed 35 people, underscoring the nation's ongoing efforts to address gun violence.

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I thank the ACT Government for their collaboration as we work to take guns off our streets in order to better protect Australians.