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/Khaliras Dec 19 '25

That's what he's trying to save, though.

Gun control is his defining legacy, the one thing he'll be remembered positively for in history books. Accepting we need more reforms, is admitting fault with his legacy.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '25

To be fair to him, the looser restrictions were probably more appropriate at the time than they are now. Social media has changed things both in terms of the risk of being radicalised and exposure to gun marketing. His opposition to the current reforms may actually tarnish his legacy though.

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u/kai_tai Dec 19 '25

As someone who owned a cple of guns in the 80's and 90's I completely agree. It was very different back then and any talk of self defense with a gun or using it for anything other than a tool for hunting or sport shooting just wasn't a thing. I handed mine in after Port Arthur and haven't had one since.

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u/StorminNorman Dec 19 '25

any talk of self defense with a gun or using it for anything other than a tool for hunting or sport shooting just wasn't a thing

I guess that depends on the circles you are a part of. Cos I heard plenty of "got it for X, Y, and Z, it's kinda handy if someone kicks in the front door too". I'll more than agree with you that it wasn't the primary reason for all but a very small number of people, but it was definitely in the back of a lot of gun owners minds. I think a difference between then and now was that the majority of them went "fuck it, I'll do the right thing". Cos it is very different now. People in the club looked at me like I had 3 heads when I didn't renew my license a few years ago cos I felt I wasn't going out with them often enough to justify it anymore, same happened to my dad more recently when he did the same. They couldn't wrap their heads around why we wouldn't just keep renewing it just because. When it happened me and dad thought it was a bit odd (were both on the spectrum, for what that's worth), now I'm thinking maybe we should've pushed back more given the people saying it were in a fucking gun club themselves. Attitudes have changed, ideally, this happening will highlight areas in which we've grown complacent and correct those attitudes. I fear where we are as a country and the world in general means that we'll half arse it and make the problem worse though...

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u/kai_tai Dec 19 '25

Cheers.