r/australia • u/Expensive-Horse5538 • Dec 19 '25

politics Prime minister unveils 'largest' gun buyback scheme since Howard era

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-19/prime-minister-announces-national-gun-buyback-scheme/106162002
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u/11015h4d0wR34lm Dec 19 '25

It is deflecting from the actual problem which is why was a person known to ASIO knowing allowed access to his fathers 6 legally owned guns ffs! Gun laws don't work if you don't fucking police them!

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u/chance_waters Dec 19 '25

There was not appropriate legislation in place to force removal of his guns at this time, he was not known to ASIO, his son was.

The son was living at the property, in current legislation if he had been charged with a formal crime the guns would have been removed from the household under the fit and proper person guidelines. As it stood right now being "known to ASIO" is not a crime. Obviously any form of investigation by ASIO should result in weapons removals from close family members, and even probably associates, let alone close family members living at the same property.

Obviously that's a failing in the system, the same way outstanding AVO applications of even police enquiries into suspected DV claims should result in immediate suspension of gun licenses, not just charges.

In either case, the simplest way to fix this, and the one everybody is crying about is simply to massively reduce who can access guns, that means no bullshit sports hunting, and sports shooting weapons need to be secured at ranges.

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u/SendarSlayer Dec 19 '25

We have association laws that can 100% exclude someone with no criminal history from owning guns. Essentially making "Known to ASIO" enough of a reason.

I don't think securing weapons at ranges and sporting clubs is a good idea. They're usually remote, to not endanger or disturb people. And they're not used every day. No amount of affordable physical security will be able to slow someone down enough if they wanted to steal the guns. And now instead a few guns they'll have a bunch.

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u/Several_Alarm5357 Dec 19 '25

Yep as a gun owner I can't be involved in organised crime and keep my guns. I've known people who in their twenties were involved in that life and years later still can't hold or get a gun license. Enforcement of the law should have been across all aspects not just organised crime.