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By Chabadinfo Reporter

In the wake of the deadly antisemitic terror attack at the Chabad Chanukah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, Australia is moving ahead with its largest gun buyback program in decades, with the first phase set to begin on November 2, 2026.

The program will initially be launched in New South Wales, the state where Bondi Beach is located. The federal government and NSW government will share the cost of the program equally. NSW will be the first Australian state to implement the national buyback initiative.

Under the first phase, owners will be able to surrender eligible firearms in exchange for compensation. Payments will vary depending on the type of weapon, with compensation reaching up to A$1,000 per firearm. The scheme is designed to remove surplus and newly prohibited firearms from circulation following sweeping changes to Australia’s gun laws.

The move follows the December 14, 2025 terrorist attack at a Chanukah celebration at Bondi Beach, where 15 people were killed. The attackers, a father and son, used legally obtained firearms.

The federal government announced the national buyback earlier this year as part of a broader response to the attack, alongside tighter firearm licensing requirements and measures targeting hate and violent extremism. Officials have described the initiative as the most significant nationwide gun buyback since Australia’s landmark response to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, in which 35 people were murdered.

Australia has seen a significant increase in the number of privately held firearms since the previous major buyback. Government figures indicate that more than 4.1 million firearms were registered across the country last year, including more than 1.1 million in New South Wales.

NSW has also introduced a new limit generally restricting individuals to four firearms, with higher limits applying to certain professional and occupational categories. The state has additionally prohibited certain types of firearms under reforms adopted following the Bondi attack.

The NSW buyback will be implemented in phases. The initial phase beginning November 2 will cover a range of firearms, with compensation amounts determined by weapon type. A second phase planned for early 2027 is expected to address additional higher-value firearms, with compensation of up to A $10,000 in qualifying cases.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the reforms are intended to reduce the number of firearms in Australia and prevent another tragedy. The government has stressed that Australia remains proud of its strict gun laws but believes further action is necessary given the record number of firearms now in circulation.

The national response has not been uniformly adopted across Australia. NSW has committed to the federal scheme, while some other states have expressed opposition or declined to participate under the current funding arrangement.

The policy addresses the wrong side of the problem:

Criminals and terrorists who are determined to cause mass casualties will continue to seek out weapons, regardless of how many firearms are surrendered by law-abiding citizens. Rather than making it harder for responsible people to defend themselves, governments should focus on keeping weapons away from criminals while ensuring that responsible, trained citizens and first responders have the means to confront an armed attacker when seconds matter.

The Bondi attack itself has raised questions about whether the response was adequately armed. Police who confronted the gunmen were equipped with 9mm Glock pistols, while the attackers were using long-arm rifles. Two officers were wounded during the exchange of fire, and evidence presented to the royal commission later described police as being “outgunned.”

One of the most striking moments of the attack came when civilian Ahmed al-Ahmed risked his life to approach and disarm one of the gunmen, demonstrating the difference an armed individual willing and able to confront an attacker can make.

Critics therefore question whether reducing the number of firearms legally available to the public is the right lesson to draw from Bondi, arguing instead for stronger security, better-equipped first responders and a greater ability for law-abiding people to protect themselves when confronted by terrorists. More guns may be the answer.

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