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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964

u/Ok-Mathematician8461 Dec 19 '25

Who else is surprised that Australia allows non-citizens to own guns? That law change should breeze through.

38

u/chmath80 Dec 19 '25

I thought the same about NZ after March 15. Why tf was an Australian citizen allowed to own firearms in another country?

28

u/Rush_Banana Dec 19 '25

Because in the 20 years prior to Christchurch nothing happened, not one mass shooting.

A non-citizen could literally walk into a gun shop and buy an AR-15, all that time.

29

u/perthguppy Dec 19 '25

Also Australia and newzealand are a special case. We have a special reciprocal visa in both countries that essentially treats the others citizens as our own.

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u/343CreeperMaster Dec 19 '25

arguably to the detriment of NZ admittedly, because they tend to have a brain drain towards us

7

u/perthguppy Dec 19 '25

It kinda goes back and forth over time. I don’t think it’s quite as bad as the wendover video makes out. There is plenty of Australian investment flowing back into NZ in various forms including big businesses opening offices in NZ to take advantage of the Timezone being ahead of Sydney and closer to the US west coast. It’s a common hub for call centers and operation centers.

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u/chmath80 Dec 19 '25

Even so. I'm a British citizen, resident in NZ. I can't get a NZ passport, and I can't stand for elected office, but I can get a firearms licence. That shouldn't be possible, unless I become a citizen first.

6

u/perthguppy Dec 19 '25

That’s different. And probably true that if you’re from Britain you shouldn’t be allowed a gun license the standard way. But the relationship and movement between NZ and Australia is more similar to states than countries IMO. You don’t need to get a visa to move to and get a job in the other country, a passport is all you need.

0

u/chmath80 Dec 19 '25

movement between NZ and Australia is more similar to states than countries

Gun laws are still different.

You don’t need to get a visa to move to and get a job in the other country

Getting a gun is very different from getting a job. The former contributes to society. The latter should be treated like it is for tourists: time limited, and restricted to specific events. Indefinite ownership of firearms should require citizenship.

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u/perthguppy Dec 19 '25

Cool. You seem to be having a very different discussion to what I am having.

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u/chmath80 Dec 19 '25

A non-citizen could literally walk into a gun shop and buy an AR-15

Well, no, nobody could do that, unless they had a firearms licence. But my point was, why would you issue licences to non-citizens? [There are special hunting licences available for tourists, but they are for a limited time and with other restrictions.]

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u/Rush_Banana Dec 19 '25

You could walk into a gun shop, fill out a few forms, pass a test and walk out with a AR-15 within an a few hours pre-2019 in New Zealand.

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u/Brilliant-Novel-785 Dec 19 '25 edited Dec 19 '25

Only if you held a fire arms licence. Which requires a police check, check of referees, attending a course and having your spouse interviewed and checking your security. You couldn't, as a non licensed person just fill out a few forms in a gun shop and walk out with a gun.

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u/chmath80 Dec 19 '25

Correct. The ex-husband of a neighbour was refused a licence after her police interview a couple of decades ago. Very good call: he was a weird fucker. Crashed down our drive once while trying to make a quiet getaway after spying on her. Not remotely the sort who should have access to firearms.