PRIVATE MEMBERS' BUSINESS
Mr CHAFFEY (Parkes) (13:16): I move: That this House: (1) calls on the Government to: (a) repeal the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026, and reverse laws that were rushed through the Parliament in January, in response to the Bondi Islamic terrorist attack; and (b) support the Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026, moved by the Member for Maranoa, to: (i) restore Commonwealth firearms and importation law to its position before the passage of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026; (ii) abolish the Government's failed National Gun Buyback Scheme; and (iii) retain the changes to the prohibition of hate symbols and background checks, which operationally remain at the discretion of the states; and (2) acknowledges that: (a) the perpetrators of the Bondi terrorist attack should never have had access to a firearm under the laws that already existed; (b) how they obtained firearms is a question for the Royal Commission, not an excuse to punish farmers, sporting shooters and hunters who follow the rules; (c) the National Gun Buyback Scheme targets lawful gunowners, who depend on their firearms for their livelihoods and for healthy recreation, both in metropolitan areas and all over regional, rural and remote Australia, instead of addressing antisemitism which is being fuelled by Islamic extremism; (d) hardworking, small business owners are being forced to pay the price for crimes they did not commit; and (e) firearms shop owners and small businesses have been left with unsold stock, cancelled orders, collapsing sales and enormous uncertainty, forcing some to close their doors altogether, while the Government's proposed support will not come close to covering their losses.
Today I rise to call on the Albanese government to finally let common sense prevail. This government rushed through gun laws back in January, and there has been confusion ever since. From the time the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Act was squeezed through the Albanese government's lawmaking sausage factory, a mechanism that works without stakeholder engagement and without due consideration for the Australians that it impacts, more than a million law-abiding gun owners have been hung out to dry.
Australians deserve answers about what will come next through the introduction of these new, unworkable gun laws. There is too much confusion and no consultation. Businesses are struggling, clubs are uncertain and farmers are at a loss as to how to comply with these laws.
Recently, I met with David Thwaites, who, together with his wife, Nancy, owns Walgett Hunt Camp Fish and newsagency. For David and Nancy, Labor's rushed firearms laws and gun buyback are not just bad policy; they are a huge threat to their livelihoods. Gun shop owners have been left with unsold stock, cancelled orders, collapsed sales and enormous uncertainty while Labor's proposed 'support' will not even come close to covering their losses.
New South Wales Labor's new buyback deal, brokered with the federal Labor government, thinks $25,000 will cover the millions of dollars worth of losses for these businesses. That's an insult. It won't even go close.
The Albanese government is shooting itself in the foot by dealing a serious blow to gun shops throughout regional Australia, the licensed operators who help keep this industry safe. These are hardworking small-business owners being forced to pay the price for a crime that they did not commit. All law-abiding gun owners are being forced to pay the price for the actions of two terrorists.
I rise today to call on the Albanese government to listen to Australia, to repeal its unfair federal firearms laws, to restore Commonwealth firearms and importation laws to where they stood before the Labor changes and to abolish the National Gun Buyback Scheme. We should target terrorists and criminals, not punish law-abiding firearm owners and the regional businesses that support them.
The proposed National Gun Buyback Scheme is a failure. It failed to meet the deadlines. It failed again to meet the agreement of all the states and territories.
It has failed to address the issues that sparked the kneejerk reaction. The Albanese government promised agreement from the states and territories by March and the legislation by 1 July this year. Neither have happened.
South Australia has joined the list of states and territories who will no longer take part in the buyback. Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have also said no—no deal. Only New South Wales and the ACT have signed up and announced grossly inadequate buyback arrangements.
New South Wales Labor has 32 members in this parliament. What are they doing to represent and support all of their constituents? Now that the bullet has been fired by this government, they've walked away without waiting to see where it has hit.
In my electorate, I'm hearing every day about Australians who have been caught in the crossfire. Australia has heard from the interim report of the royal commission that no state or territory agency reported the laws that were already in place were insufficient to stop this attack in Bondi. These new rushed Labor laws were a quick fix that were never going to work.
A Shooters Union Australia report has estimated the buyback scheme would cost $15 million. In the meantime, Australians are being left with no direction, no details, no certainty and very little compensation. Sporting clubs are wondering whether they are viable and whether their sport can continue.
Farmers are trying to work out what firearms they can keep and what works best for their farm. Gun shop owners such as Sam and Sharnah Tomlinson, who own 2 Rivers Guns & Ammo in Moree, are facing incredible challenges. The Tomlinsons have recently announced that their family business will close.
I say to the Prime Minister and to those opposite: you made the call, you found the scapegoat and you rushed through the legislation. What happens next? Gun shop owners like David and Nancy deserve fair compensation, gun owners deserve certainty and Australia deserves to know just how this huge change will work for them.
They deserve to be heard.