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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

Queensland tightens gun laws: Citizenship now required for firearm licenses amid application spike

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Queensland, Australia, has implemented new restrictions requiring firearm license applicants to be Australian citizens, effective immediately.
  • This change follows a 21% increase in firearm license applications in March, a month after reforms were announced post-Bondi attack.
  • Experts and industry figures suggest uncertainty about future regulations and a desire to acquire firearms before potential further restrictions are driving the surge in applications, with women increasingly applying.

New restrictions on firearm ownership in Queensland, Australia, took effect today, limiting eligibility for weapons licenses to Australian citizens. This measure comes amid a significant spike in applications, with Queensland Police data showing a 21% increase in firearm license applications in March 2026 compared to the previous year. The reforms were announced in the wake of the Bondi Beach terror attack.

While some provisions of the act related to antisemitism were already in place, the new rule from today mandates that non-citizens will require specific exemptions for sport or work to obtain a weapons license. Industry professionals and experts point to a confluence of factors fueling the demand, including uncertainty surrounding future regulations. Many individuals are reportedly seeking to acquire firearms before any further restrictions are imposed.

I want to get one before the government makes it harder. I want to get my wife a licence before they can take them.

— Aaron LemphersDescribing the urgency expressed by individuals seeking firearm licenses following the Bondi Beach terror attack.

Aaron Lemphers, who runs one of Queensland's largest firearms training services, noted a surge in inquiries immediately following the December terror attack. He stated that the phone "didn't stop" with people expressing a desire to obtain licenses before they become more difficult to acquire. Lemphers has had to hire four additional training contractors in the past six months to meet the rising demand. Applicants are required to complete a police-approved safety course before applying for a license.

Figures up to May show Queensland has over 234,000 issued weapons licenses and more than 1.1 million registered weapons. In March alone, there were 2,387 new firearm license applications, a notable increase from 1,971 the year prior. Between January and April, applications rose by 19%, with over 1,200 more applications lodged compared to the same period in 2025. Marty Duggan, president of the Bowen Sporting Shooters Association in North Queensland, observed a growing number of women applying for licenses and joining shooting clubs, often to share weapons with family members if restrictions tighten.

The last 18 months has seen an influx in women joining the club.

— Marty DugganPresident of the Bowen Sporting Shooters Association, noting a trend in female applicants for gun licenses.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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