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Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws)

Current status

This bill became law.

Policy area

Immigration, border & security

What does this bill do?

Australian Border ForceThe federal agency that enforces customs and border laws and can seize prohibited imported or exported goods under this Act. can seize imported or exported goods containing violent extremist materialMaterial that promotes, supports or instructs serious violence for an extremist cause and may be stopped at the border under the Act. or prohibited symbols, subject to exemptions for journalism, education, religion, research and law enforcement.

Why was it introduced?

Existing border controls did not explicitly cover violent extremist materialMaterial that promotes, supports or instructs serious violence for an extremist cause and may be stopped at the border under the Act. or prohibited symbols, while firearms licensing and import rules needed stronger national-security safeguards. The bill lets Border ForceThe federal agency that enforces customs and border laws and can seize prohibited imported or exported goods under this Act. seize such goods, creates a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., enables intelligence checks for licences, tightens firearm imports and criminalises online firearm-manufacturing material.

Broader context

Australia already had strict firearms laws shaped by the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when more than 700,000 guns were surrendered and destroyed. After the 14 December 2025 antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach killed 15 people using legally obtained firearms, the government responded with a national buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., stronger intelligence checks for licences, tighter import controls, and new offences for online firearm-manufacturing material; Parliament passed the bill on 20 January 2026.

Key criticism

Critics warned the rushed firearms measures could penalise lawful owners and businesses without preventing extremism, while unclear compensation and reliance on state participation could undermine the buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available.. Coalition, Nationals and some independent MPs raised these objections, and later resistance from several states showed that implementation concerns extended beyond federal parliamentary opposition.

Who supported it?

Hon Tony Burke MP introduced this bill. In the House final vote, support came from Labor, Liberal Party, some crossbench members; opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, Centre Alliance, Katter's Australian Party, One Nation, some crossbench members.

Introduced in House 20 Jan 2026
Passed House 20 Jan 2026 Aye 96 No 45
Passed Senate 20 Jan 2026 Aye 38 No 26
Became law —

Did it become law?

Yes

Final passage

Recorded final vote

2 counted final-passage votes were recorded.

Passage speed

Same day

From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. Australian Border ForceThe federal agency that enforces customs and border laws and can seize prohibited imported or exported goods under this Act. can seize imported or exported goods containing violent extremist materialMaterial that promotes, supports or instructs serious violence for an extremist cause and may be stopped at the border under the Act. or prohibited symbols, subject to exemptions for journalism, education, religion, research and law enforcement.

  2. States can collect surrendered firearms and pay owners through a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. running from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027, with Commonwealth reimbursements for compensation paid under approved state schemes.

  3. State and territory licensing authorities can use AusCheckThe Commonwealth background-checking service that can coordinate security, criminal-intelligence and citizenship checks for firearms licensing authorities. checks drawing on national security and criminal-intelligence assessments and citizenship status, including checks of current licence holders, with final decisions reviewable under local law.

  4. Importers face tighter controls on high-risk firearms and parts, including belt-fed guns, magazines over 30 rounds, speed loaders, gel blasters and handguns, plus a public-safety refusal powerA power allowing the government to refuse a firearm-related import even where other technical import requirements may have been met..

  5. People can be prosecuted for using an online service to share firearm or explosives-manufacturing material, or possessing it after obtaining it online, with defences for legitimate firearm work and safety.

Show source excerpts
  1. (a) are or contain violent extremist material (within the meaning of the Criminal Code); or
    final Act text
  2. This scheme is facilitated through a coordinated national framework where the Commonwealth provides financial assistance to the States (which is defined to include the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory) to support their implementation of the national gun buyback scheme by way of reimbursements. The States will be responsible for the collection, processing and payment to persons for surrendered firearms.
    Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) explanatory memorandum
  3. ; or (f) the check is of an individual in connection with any of the following:
    final Act text
  4. The intent of these amendments is to provide the Minister administering the Prohibited Imports Regulations with the authority to further consider whether an importation poses a significant risk to the health, safety or security of the public or a segment of the public. This would ensure that, while certain firearms and weapons may be legal to possess and use domestically, where they may not be suitable for the intended use within the community there is an ability to refuse import permission.
    Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) explanatory memorandum
  5. The bill will create new offences for using a carriage service to send electronic materials, like 3D-printing blueprints, used to manufacture firearms and explosives, or possessing or controlling this material through a carriage service.
    Minister's second reading speech

Context

Broader context for this bill

Australia already had strict firearms laws shaped by the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, when more than 700,000 guns were surrendered and destroyed. After the 14 December 2025 antisemitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach killed 15 people using legally obtained firearms, the government responded with a national buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., stronger intelligence checks for licences, tighter import controls, and new offences for online firearm-manufacturing material; Parliament passed the bill on 20 January 2026.

  1. 1996

    Port Arthur leads to a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available.

    After the Port Arthur massacre, state and federal governments removed semiautomatic and pump-action firearms, with more than 700,000 guns surrendered and destroyed.

    Hansard ↗
  2. 14 Dec 2025

    Bondi terrorist attack kills 15 people

    A violent Islamist terrorist attack during Jewish celebrations at Bondi Beach killed 15 people, with the attackers using legally obtained firearms.

    Hansard ↗
  3. 20 Jan 2026

    Tony Burke introduces the bill

    Hon Tony Burke MP introduced the bill in the House of Representatives to strengthen responses to antisemitism, hate and extremism through firearms, licensing, import and customs measures.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗
  4. 20 Jan 2026

    Parliament passes the bill

    Both Houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage of the buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., intelligence-checking, import-control and online-material measures.

    Parliamentary timeline ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Intelligence and Security review 12 Jan 2026

Referred to Committee (12/01/2026): Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security; Exposure draft of Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026; Committee report (20/01/2026)

Report tabled 20 Jan 2026

APH bill page notes
Scrutiny of Bills review 19 Jan 2026

Considered by scrutiny committee (19/01/2026): Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills; Exposure draft of Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026; Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2026

Exposure draft of Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026; Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2026

APH bill page notes
Introduced 20 Jan 2026

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 20 Jan 2026

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 20 Jan 2026

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

House second reading agreed Aye 96 No 44 20 Jan 2026

Recorded vote: 96 to 44.

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Consideration in detail 20 Jan 2026

The chamber considered the bill in detail and dealt with amendments before the next stage.

Consideration in detail debate

House third reading agreed Aye 96 No 45 20 Jan 2026

Recorded vote: 96 to 45.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Introduced 20 Jan 2026

The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.

Introduced and read a first time

Second reading opened 20 Jan 2026

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Second reading debate 20 Jan 2026

The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.

Senate second reading agreed 20 Jan 2026

The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.

Second reading agreed to

Senate third reading agreed Aye 38 No 26 20 Jan 2026

Recorded vote: 38 to 26.

The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.

Third reading agreed to

Passed both houses 20 Jan 2026

Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.

Finally passed both Houses

Human Rights review 04 Mar 2026

Considered by scrutiny committee (04/03/2026): Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights; Report 2 of 2026

Report 2 of 2026

APH bill page notes

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

Critics warned the rushed firearms measures could penalise lawful owners and businesses without preventing extremism, while unclear compensation and reliance on state participation could undermine the buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available.. Coalition, Nationals and some independent MPs raised these objections, and later resistance from several states showed that implementation concerns extended beyond federal parliamentary opposition.

Criticism focused mainly on firearms policy, drafting and implementation, rather than the goal of combating antisemitism and violent extremism.

Lawful owners may bear the cost

Opponents argued the buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and import restrictions would burden farmers, sporting shooters, licensed owners and firearms businesses despite no demonstrated link between their lawful activities and the terrorist threat. They sought fair-market-value compensation and support for affected businesses.

Raised by Coalition and Nationals MPs, including Andrew Wallace, David Littleproud and Kevin Hogan Source ↗

Rushed drafting and limited scrutiny

Several MPs said the bill was developed too quickly, lacked consultation and contained poorly explained firearms provisions. A proposed Senate committee inquiry was defeated, leaving critics concerned that practical problems and unintended consequences had not been properly examined.

Raised by Rebekha Sharkie, Andrew Gee, Phillip Thompson and Nationals senators Source ↗

State participation could limit the buyback

The national buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. depends on states and territories establishing approved schemes, but more than half the jurisdictions remained opposed to parts of the reform after the government's March deadline. Only four had signed up, creating a risk of uneven coverage across Australia.

Raised by State and territory governments, including Queensland and the Northern Territory Source ↗

Further sources

parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗ abc.net.au ↗

Votes

Recorded votes

How the bill itself passed

The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.

Carried

House passed the bill

Aye 96 No 45

Passed 96 to 45. Support came from Labor and Liberal Party. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, Centre Alliance, and Katter's Australian Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

20 Jan 2026

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 87 / 0
Liberal 0 / 26
Nationals 0 / 14
Independent 8 / 2
Centre Alliance 0 / 1
Katter's Australian Party 0 / 1
Liberal Party 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1

Did not vote: Nationals

Carried

Senate passed the bill

Aye 38 No 26

Passed 38 to 26. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and UAP.

20 Jan 2026

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 25 / 0
Liberal 0 / 18
Greens 10 / 0
Nationals 0 / 4
One Nation 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Earlier bill-stage votes

Carried

House cleared second reading

Aye 96 No 44

Passed 96 to 44. Support came from Labor and Liberal Party. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, Centre Alliance, and Katter's Australian Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

20 Jan 2026

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 87 / 0
Liberal 0 / 26
Nationals 0 / 14
Independent 8 / 1
Centre Alliance 0 / 1
Katter's Australian Party 0 / 1
Liberal Party 1 / 0
One Nation 0 / 1

Did not vote: Nationals

Amendments at a glance

Amendments grouped by chamber. These cards include amendment outcomes recorded without a counted division.

House

Defeated

Revoke firearms for watchlisted people

Aye 13 No 88

Defeated 13 to 88. Support came from Nationals, Centre Alliance, Katter's Australian Party, and Liberal. Opposition came from Labor and Liberal Party. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

20 Jan 2026

The bill proceeded without the proposed automatic revocation rule for people placed on an ASIO watchlistAn informal label on this page for people identified by ASIO as presenting a security concern; one proposed amendment would have automatically revoked their firearms access..

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 86
Independent 6 / 1
Nationals 3 / 0
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Katter's Australian Party 1 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 1
Liberal 1 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0

Did not vote: Nationals

Senate

Defeated

That general business notice of motion No

Aye 28 No 31

Defeated 28 to 31. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.

04 Mar 2026

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 22
Liberal 19 / 0
Greens 0 / 9
Nationals 3 / 0
One Nation 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Independent 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Senate voted on debate procedure

Aye 28 No 33

Defeated 28 to 33. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.

04 Mar 2026

This was a procedural vote, not a final vote on whether the bill would become law.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 24
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 9
Nationals 3 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
One Nation 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Refer firearms bill for inquiry

Aye 28 No 34

Defeated 28 to 34. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

20 Jan 2026

The Senate declined to delay consideration for a committee inquiry and continued with the bill's remaining stages.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 23
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Call for fair firearms buyback compensation

Aye 29 No 33

Defeated 29 to 33. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.

20 Jan 2026

The Senate passed the second-reading motion without adding this call for broader and fairer buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. compensation.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 23
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Carried

Keep firearms licensing and import rules

Aye 38 No 26

Passed 38 to 26. Support came from Labor, Greens, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and UAP.

20 Jan 2026

By carrying the stand-as-printed question 38 votes to 26, the Senate kept those provisions in the bill and defeated the proposed deletions.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 25 / 0
Liberal 0 / 18
Greens 10 / 0
Nationals 0 / 4
One Nation 0 / 3
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 0 / 1

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Change firearms safeguards and compensation

Aye 28 No 36

Defeated 28 to 36. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, and Australia's Voice. Opposition came from Labor and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.

20 Jan 2026

The Senate rejected the package 28 votes to 36, leaving the bill without these proposed compensation, import, information-access and review changes.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 25
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 1 / 1
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Require independent review of firearms laws

Aye 29 No 33

Defeated 29 to 33. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.

20 Jan 2026

The Senate rejected the review requirement 29 votes to 33, so it was not added to the legislation.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 23
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Refer bill provisions for inquiry

Aye 29 No 33

Defeated 29 to 33. Support came from Liberal, Nationals, One Nation, Australia's Voice, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Labor and Greens.

20 Jan 2026

The Senate rejected a further committee inquiry before proceeding to the bill's final passage.

Party Recorded votes Aye / No
Labor 0 / 23
Liberal 18 / 0
Greens 0 / 10
Nationals 4 / 0
One Nation 3 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Australia's Voice 1 / 0
UAP 1 / 0

Did not vote: Liberal Party

Defeated

Call for national monitoring of firearms holdings

Senator Thorpe proposed nationally consistent monitoring, oversight, reporting and public data on firearms held by law enforcement, security, correctional and military bodies.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

Defeated

Refer firearms bill for committee inquiry

Senator McKenzie proposed referring the bill to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation CommitteeA Senate committee that examines proposed laws in legal, constitutional and public-administration areas and can gather evidence before reporting to Parliament. for inquiry and report by 2 March 2026.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

Defeated

Senate amendment defeated

The Senate Journal records this outcome as defeated on voices.

Defeated on voices

The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.

Hansard record ↗

This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Sponsor speech Supports

Tony Burke

Australian Labor Party • MP 20 Jan 2026

Tony Burke supports the bill as a critical response to the Bondi attack, arguing that a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., intelligence-informed firearms licensing, tighter import controls and new offences will reduce access to firearms and strengthen public safety.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead opposing voice Opposes

Malcolm Roberts

Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator 20 Jan 2026

Malcolm Roberts opposes the bill, arguing that it unfairly penalises lawful firearm owners, restricts legitimate access to firearms information and removes affordable merits reviewA process in which a tribunal or other authorised body reconsiders a decision and can replace it with the decision it considers correct. without addressing the real cause of extremist violence.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead supporting voice Supports

David Shoebridge

Australian Greens • Senator 20 Jan 2026

Shoebridge says the Greens support the bill because its national firearms buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., real-time security information sharing and import restrictions will strengthen gun safety and save lives.

Read in Hansard ↗
Lead non-major voice Supports

Lidia Thorpe

Independent • Senator 20 Jan 2026

Thorpe supports stronger gun laws but argues that the bill should go further by imposing nationally consistent oversight and transparency requirements on firearms held by police, defence and other authorities.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Labor

7 speakers · 8 contributions · 7 support

  1. Dorinda Cox Cox supports the bill, arguing it will reduce firearm risks through a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., tighter import and licensing controls, and offences targeting digital pathways for illicit weapons manufacture, while protecting legitimate occupational and sporting use.
    “Today I speak in support of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, and I do so not only as a senator but as someone who has lived through what major firearms reform looks like when it moves from this place into practice. I was a police officer during the last gun buyback scheme that followed Port Arthur nearly 30 years ago. For those who remember that period only through the headlines, it's worth recalling what that meant on the ground. During the buyback police officers just like me worked at front counters, which are normally known as non-operational spots, but we were handling surrendered firearms every day. We did not always know whether those firearms and weapons were loaded. We also didn't know how they had been stored. We didn't always know the emotional state of the person standing on the other side of the counter, whether they were angry, distressed or unwell or whether they were simply having the worst day of their life.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Tony Burke ★ Tony Burke supports the bill as a critical response to the Bondi attack, arguing that a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., intelligence-informed firearms licensing, tighter import controls and new offences will reduce access to firearms and strengthen public safety.
    “In the wake of the tragedy at Bondi on 14 December, we as a parliament have a responsibility to act decisively to make sure Australians can be safe and feel safe. We must do everything we can to counter both the motivation and the method of the attackers. We must deal with both the hatred they had in their hearts, and the guns they had in their hands. This bill is a critical step towards addressing their methods.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Murray Watt Watt supports the bill as a critical response to the Bondi attack, arguing that its national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., intelligence sharing, tighter import controls and new firearms offences will reduce access to guns and improve public safety.
    “In the wake of the tragedy at Bondi on 14 December, we as a parliament have a responsibility to act decisively to make sure Australians can be safe and feel safe. We must do everything we can to counter both the motivation and the method of the attackers. We must deal with both the hatred they had in their hearts, and the guns they had in their hands. This Bill is a critical step towards addressing their methods.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Tony Sheldon Sheldon supports the bill as a necessary response to the Bondi terrorist attack, arguing that stronger firearms controls, a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and restrictions on extremist material will make it harder to turn hatred into deadly violence.
    “These laws would not have erased the hatred in their hearts but they would have made it vastly harder for that hatred to be turned into mass murder. How could anyone in good conscience vote against these measures? We owe it to the families grieving, we owe it to the Jewish community, who are hurting, and we owe it to every Australian, who deserves to feel safe in their own country. I commend this bill to the Senate.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Corinne Mulholland Mulholland supports the bill as sensible and urgent action to reduce gun violence, including by preventing non-citizens from holding firearms licences and stopping rapid-fire gun imports.
    “Fifteen innocent lives were tragically lost at Bondi Beach. They were gunned down by two terrorists. One of the shooters had a firearms licence, and he was legally in possession of six weapons. Australia's current firearms laws entitled that gunman to own an uncapped number of guns. This bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, will stop that. He was not an Australian citizen, and this bill will stop non-citizens from holding a firearms licence. This bill will also stop the importation of rapid-fire guns.”

    Australian Labor Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Lisa Chesters Chesters supports the bill as a necessary public-safety response to the Bondi terrorist attack, arguing that Australia must restrict access to firearms by people who may use them for violence while recognising the legitimate needs of responsible regional gun owners.
    “Following the devastating impact of the Bondi terrorist attack in Sydney, our government is rightfully reviewing the gun laws in Australia, as Australians demand. Based upon the circumstances around the attack, the government—not on its own but through National Cabinet—is progressing reforms to ensure and improve public safety.”

    Australian Labor Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  7. Anthony Albanese 2 contributions The Prime Minister says he rises to support the bill as drafted, describing it as sensible reform that will create a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. scheme and stop noncitizens from importing weapons.

    Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Anthony Albanese on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.

    Consideration in detail speech Australian Labor Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    The Prime Minister says he rises to support the bill as drafted, describing it as sensible reform that will create a national gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. scheme and stop noncitizens from importing weapons. He also says the legislation should be carried without amendment.

    “I rise to support the legislation as it stands before the parliament.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗

    Consideration of Senate message speech Australian Labor Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    He strongly endorses the legislation as a united parliamentary response to a deadly antisemitic terrorist attack, saying it advances efforts to combat antisemitism, extremism and hate. He also frames the laws as part of a broader national commitment to social cohesion, mourning and solidarity with Jewish Australians.

    “Let's see this as an opportunity for us to unite as a nation, to come together and grieve with our Jewish Australian community and to reaffirm that in this great country of ours, whatever issues we confront, there's still no other country you'd rather be in. That's the nature of our great nation. Light will triumph over darkness. I thank the House—and I thank the Senate as well—for the adoption of these laws.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗

Coalition

21 speakers · 1 support · 19 oppose · 1 mixed

  1. Matthew Canavan Canavan says the Coalition will vote against the bill because its rushed firearms restrictions and buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. scheme would burden law-abiding Australians without meaningfully reducing terrorism, which he argues should instead be addressed through antisemitic extremism and illegal firearms.
    “For all these reasons, the National Party and the Liberal Party will not be voting for these laws. They will not appreciably reduce the risk of a terrorist attack happening again on our shores. Terrorists are unlikely to be the kinds of people that are going to obey the law in any event. It would be much, much more sensible for us to focus on the root cause of what's happened here, at Bondi, which is these evil ideas, the antisemitic ideas, the divisive ideas, the hateful ideas, that lead to violence. Focus on that instead of reducing the rights of other Australians who have done nothing wrong.”

    Liberal National Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Bridget McKenzie McKenzie says the National Party and coalition oppose the bill because its gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and import restrictions unfairly target lawful firearm owners, bypass the established national agreement with the states and contain serious practical flaws.
    “The National Party and the coalition are opposing these laws, and we don't make an apology for that at all, because we know it's not the gun that saw 15 lives lost and Jewish Australians targeted on 14 December, when Australia was confronted with a brutal and senseless act of violence at Bondi. Innocent people going about their lives in a place that should have been safe and ordinary were murdered. Families were shattered—”

    National Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Jonathon Duniam Duniam says the coalition will oppose the bill unless its amendments are accepted, despite supporting expanded intelligence checks and the customs measures, because the rushed firearms provisions could unfairly affect lawful gun owners and legitimate firearm uses.
    “With that, I'm pleased to have kicked off debate in the Australian Senate around these laws. Obviously, the position is clear: we don't support these matters as they stand today. There are elements of the bill we are supportive of, but we are not supportive of it in total. Unless amendments can be agreed to, we have real reservations around this, and the coalition will not be supporting this legislation.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Susan McDonald McDonald opposes the bill, arguing that its rushed and unsupported firearms measures punish lawful owners while failing to address illegal weapons, terrorism or hate-motivated violence.
    “Terrorism is driven by ideology, not sporting rifles locked in safes. If the government is serious about community safety, the evidence is clear about what works: targeted policing; disrupting trafficking networks, including at our international borders; seizing illegal firearms; and investing in intelligence and counterextremism capabilities. That is where resources should go, not into a poorly designed buyback that won't reduce the number of illegal guns. This bill should be amended, paused for proper consultation, rejected or anything but rushed through and passed today because legal, lawful firearm owners are not the problem. Criminals are, terrorists are and our laws should focus squarely on them. These laws are a sellout on law-abiding Australians under an unholy alliance between Labor and the Greens. They are not supported by science, they are not supported by data and they are not supported by ordinary Australians who just want to live their lives. I urge you to reject this legislation as I will.”

    National Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Richard Colbeck Richard Colbeck opposes the bill, arguing that poor consultation and flawed drafting would create unintended restrictions for farmers, rural workers and sporting shooters despite some measures he could otherwise support.
    “It's a sad situation because, had the Prime Minister gone to the Leader of the Opposition in the days and weeks after the terrible events at Bondi and worked with her and other members of the parliament, we could have been standing in this place today with an agreement on legislation which we all understood and which did the job that we wanted it to do. It is a failure of leadership of the Prime Minister that we are not in that situation. It is a very, very sad situation for us to be in because, with genuine leadership, this legislation could have been so much better and it could have been something that we all supported. As I have said, there are a number of things in this legislation that we should be able to agree on—the background checks; some of the controls. But, because of the failure of leadership of this government, we're not in a position to be able to do that, and, therefore, I am not in a position to support the legislation.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Andrew Wallace Wallace says the coalition will oppose the bill because its firearms buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and import restrictions are poorly justified, inadequately developed and unfair to lawful firearm owners and businesses.
    “The coalition agrees with the statement of the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia that the only way to have a John Howard gun buyback is to legislate one. That is why the opposition has gone to the Prime Minister and asked that he be true to his word and amend his bill to make this a John Howard buyback. He has failed to make such a commitment. It's little wonder why we will be opposing this bill in this House. In the Senate, we will seek a referral of this bill to an inquiry by the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee with a reporting date of 2 March 2026. In the Senate we will also make a series of amendments to give effect to a John Howard buyback, including fair-market-value compensation for firearms, firearms parts, firearms accessories, ammunition, ammunition components and equipment. Our amendments will seek compensation for loss of business and hardship, including the buyout of businesses deemed unviable due to the buyback. The coalition will also move amendments seeking clarity from the states and territories by 28 February this year as to their intention to participate in buyback schemes.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  7. Ross Cadell Cadell opposes the bill because he says its firearms restrictions and buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. are being rushed through without state agreement or due process and will unfairly affect lawful gun owners, although he supports the ASIOAustralia's domestic security intelligence agency, which can provide security assessments relevant to firearms licence decisions. checks and national firearms register.
    “To all my friends, to all those people out there and to the 64,000-odd people that we got in trouble for carrying the non-compliant petition for earlier today, I say to you: I am sorry that we haven't been able to stop this to make this better. There are definitely things that we support in it, like the ASIO checks and the national register, but there is some stuff in there that has just been in the bottom drawer on a wish list of a bureaucrat who doesn't like guns and wants to get them out. It is not the crossbench's fault. It's not the Greens' fault. It is not this side's fault. It is the Labor Party's fault for wanting the problem—a political problem—to go away quickly and not a policy solution. To the 940,000 registered gun owners out there: I am sorry for what is happening to you. It is being done unfairly, it is being done quickly and it is being done without due process. I will not vote for that. I cannot vote for that. You need to know who is to blame for that, and it is solely the government.”

    National Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  8. David Littleproud Littleproud says the National Party and coalition will oppose the bill, arguing that it unfairly targets lawful gun owners and imposes unnecessary restrictions instead of addressing failures by authorities and the threat of radical Islamist extremism.
    “Let me make this clear. The National Party and the coalition will be opposing this bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026. This is nothing more than a cheap political diversion. It's a diversion from facing up to the real problem in this country, which is radical Islamists. They are taking hold and causing harm on the streets, as we saw in Bondi. It is not the gun owners of Australia that have done this; it is radical Islam that has done this.”

    National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  9. Jamie Chaffey Jamie Chaffey opposes the bill, arguing that its gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. scheme lacks crucial detail, would unfairly burden lawful regional gun owners and farmers, and would not prevent terrorism.
    “This bill has very little detail on the proposed gun buyback scheme. There is no detail in here to tell us how it will work, when it will happen and how much it will cost. Gun laws are a state-by-state and territory-by-territory concern. How can this be implemented at all when there are so many different laws, so many different approaches and so many different perspectives? Will the states and territories even agree to fund this buyback scheme? If this Labor-Greens buyback scheme does proceed, gun owners must be compensated at full and fair market value for the property that they surrender—not just the firearms but also any firearm parts, accessories, ammunition, components and reloading equipment. Compensation must also be made available for hardship and the loss of any business, including any buyouts of a business deemed unviable as a result of the introduction of this crazy legislation. It would be entirely irresponsible for us to support something that has very few parameters and contested costings and won't achieve the result of preventing terrorism on our shores.”

    National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  10. Phillip Thompson Phillip Thompson says the Coalition will oppose the bill because its firearms buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and import restrictions are poorly consulted, lack adequate safeguards and state support, and unfairly burden lawful firearm owners without addressing violent Islamist extremism.
    “In December 2024, as a Jewish synagogue burned in Melbourne following a suspected terror attack, the Prime Minister's decision to stay in Perth playing tennis became a symbol of a broader failure of leadership. For over a year warnings were ignored, concerns were minimised and communities were left exposed. Now, in the wake of a terrorist atrocity, the government has rushed forward a sweeping and poorly conceived legislative process. This bill is not the product of careful leadership; it is a kneejerk reaction to a failure to act when it mattered most. The bill is fundamentally flawed. It is unclear in its operation, inadequately safeguarded, poorly consulted on and lacking the precision required for legislation. Coalition members cannot support this bill.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  11. Michelle Landry Michelle Landry opposes the bill, arguing that its firearm restrictions would punish responsible gun owners, farmers and sporting shooters while distracting from intelligence and counterterrorism failures that enabled the Bondi attack.
    “Australians want accountability, honesty and laws that actually make them safer, not laws that are simply a vanity project for this prime minister. I will be opposing this legislation.”

    National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  12. David Batt Batt opposes the bill, arguing that its gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. and import restrictions would punish law-abiding firearms owners and businesses without addressing violent extremism, while being rushed through without adequate scrutiny or clear compensation arrangements.
    “I rise to speak against the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026. We need to do better and what is right. We owe it to those who lost their lives and those impacted by this attack to get this done in a measured and precise way. We don't have a gun problem; we have a radical Islam problem. I support a national register, but that on its own isn't enough. In my home state, the Queensland government have indicated they won't even be involved in any buyback scheme. We don't need these laws to stop another Bondi. We just need to enforce the laws we already have, with law enforcement agencies working more cooperatively.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  13. Kevin Hogan Hogan says the coalition will vote against the bill because it scapegoats law-abiding gun owners for the Bondi attack and could harm farmers, sporting shooters and firearms businesses.
    “Some of the amendments we will move here are to make sure there's compensation for people—not only that, even though this is unfair, they will get a fair price for the guns that will be bought back by the government but that people who lose their businesses will be compensated, too. The coalition disagree and will be voting against this legislation. We're not going to use law-abiding gun owners as the scapegoats for that terrible Islamic extremist attack in Bondi, but we also want fair compensation for businesses in this country that are going to be very badly affected by this.”

    National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  14. Leah Blyth Blyth will not support the bill, arguing that its rushed and poorly targeted firearms restrictions punish lawful gun owners without addressing the extremism and radicalisation that motivate terrorist attacks.
    “Australians are entitled to safety, but they are also entitled to honesty. The honest assessment is this: you do not defeat terrorism by targeting farmers, you do not defeat antisemitism by confiscating sporting firearms, and you do not strengthen a nation by eroding trust in law-abiding citizens. For those reasons alone, this bill deserves criticism, scrutiny and resistance, and this parliament should have the courage to say that Australia's problem is not guns, it is extremism, and the solution lies in confronting that reality, not in avoiding it. For that reason I will not be supporting this bill.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  15. Darren Chester Chester opposes the bill, arguing that its rushed gun buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. unfairly targets law-abiding firearm owners, lacks consultation and will not improve community safety.
    “It speaks volumes of those opposite that not one of them has stood up, since the member for Bendigo did, to seek to defend this legislation, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, because this is bad legislation. This is bad legislation which has been rushed into the parliament, with no consultation, to solve a political problem for the Prime Minister. And that is the form of this prime minister.”

    National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  16. Andrew Willcox Willcox opposes the bill, arguing that it scapegoats and punishes law-abiding firearm owners while failing to address antisemitism, extremism and terrorism.
    “That's why I do not support this legislation. Twenty guns in the hands of a law-abiding grazier, sporting shooter or collector is fine. One gun in the hands of a radical Islamic terrorist is a massive problem. Do you honestly think that terrorists and criminals will come and hand their guns in? Do you honestly think that's going to happen? No. Law-abiding firearm owners will be punished due to the failure of this government. I don't want to even talk about buybacks, but, if this bad legislation does go through, buybacks need to give appropriate compensation. But this is bad legislation. It's time this government faced up to the real problem, which is radical Islam, not the firearm owners.”

    Liberal National Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  17. Sussan Ley Ley says the opposition worked constructively to amend the bill so it more tightly targets radical Islamist extremism and antisemitism, protects free speech and strengthens parliamentary oversight.
    “These changes strengthen the law. They close loopholes and they restore clarity and accountability. The Liberal Party will always strongly defend freedom of thought, freedom of worship and freedom of speech, because those freedoms define who we are as a nation and they must be defended, even when the task before us is confronting hatred and extremism. The Liberal Party will always act to keep Australians safe, defend our freedoms and put the national interest first—as we have in passing this bill. I look forward to the nation pausing tomorrow, on the day of remembrance, to reflect and to unite behind a shared determination to take the strong actions that we know we need to take as a nation to tackle radical Islamic extremism and to eradicate antisemitism. We must unite with determination, focus and overall action.”

    Liberal Party of Australia • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  18. James McGrath McGrath says the LNP will vote against the bill because its firearms measures punish law-abiding gun owners and divert attention from the government's failure to confront antisemitism and radical Islamic extremism.
    “My colleagues in this chamber will move a series of amendments to try and improve these bad laws, but because of the dirty deal between Labor and the Greens, the amendments won't get up, so a bad law will pass and, sadly, debate will be guillotined because of the said dirty deal. We will vote against the bill because this bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, punishes innocent Australians when, in fact, what the government should be doing is going after radical Islam.”

    Liberal National Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  19. Melissa Price Price opposes the bill, arguing it would punish law-abiding firearm owners, particularly in regional Western Australia, while failing to address the causes of extremism and terrorism.
    “The coalition will not be supporting this legislation, but, unfortunately, it looks like some dirty deal has already been done between the Labor Party and the Greens political party. This will be just the latest in a long list of examples of the Labor-Greens alliance penalising regional Western Australia. We've seen this play before. We've seen the contempt of the WA Labor government, and now we are seeing it from the federal Labor government. Like the WA Labor gun law changes, it is the law-abiding WA farmers, pastoralists, shooting clubs and firearms businesses that will bear the brunt of this legislation, which will do nothing to confront the threat from radical Islamists or extremists in our community. I can't support this legislation.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  20. Rick Wilson Rick Wilson strongly opposes the bill, arguing that it scapegoats law-abiding gun owners, repeats a traumatic Western Australian buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. process and criminalises ordinary sporting-shooting activities and equipment.
    “I'm very disappointed that the member for Hunter isn't here to talk about what he thinks about making vests illegal. The vests that clay target shooters and other shooters, including pistol shooters, wear as a matter of course as part of their sport will now be deemed to be illegal and punishable by a jail sentence of up to five years. Reloading—which is par for the course for sporting shooters, to reload their own ammunition—will now be punished by up to five years in prison. I conclude today by saying that I strongly oppose the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, and I will always fight for the rights of law-abiding citizens in my electorate of O'Connor.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  21. Tony Pasin Pasin opposes the bill, arguing that the Bondi attack resulted from radical Islamic extremism and failed national leadership rather than weaknesses in Australia's gun laws, and that tightening those laws would unfairly target licensed gun owners.
    “The 15 souls that tragically lost their lives on 14 December on the beach at Bondi are owed at least the honesty of their polity. The honest truth—perhaps the hard truth for those opposite—is that we don't have a gun problem in this country; we have a problem with radical Islamic extremism. Objectively, a reasonable person might conclude that the US does have a gun problem, but we don't. We have some of the strictest gun laws in the world, a product of very hard decisions taken by former prime minister John Howard and his government. That's why I can't support these changes in the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026.”

    Liberal Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Greens

4 speakers · 4 support

  1. David Shoebridge ★ Shoebridge says the Greens support the bill because its national firearms buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., real-time security information sharing and import restrictions will strengthen gun safety and save lives.
    “I finish with this: two hateful men with a hateful ideology are dangerous and need to be addressed by our parliaments and need to be addressed by all of us, collectively, if we can, but two hateful men with access to multiple firearms—if they've got access legally to multiple firearms, we have an obligation to act. The Greens are proud to always support the community on gun safety. We're proud to talk down and oppose those whose primary interest comes from the firearms lobby. And, in what is otherwise a toxic mess of a week in this parliament, we're proud to support legislation that will take those important steps for gun safety across the country.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Larissa Waters Waters says the Greens support the bill's gun safety reforms, including the national buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available., stronger background checks, information sharing and restrictions on dangerous weapons, while arguing that further national action is needed to limit gun numbers and complete the firearms register.
    “Even before Bondi, the community had been calling for action on gun control. Polling by the Australia Institute showed that around 70 per cent of Australians think gun laws should be strengthened to make it harder to get a gun. The tragedy of Bondi means we must not ignore those calls any longer. This moment is beyond politics. Our resolve to act is a test for our common humanity, and I hope that all of parliament will join together to ensure that no-one can walk the streets of Sydney or any Australian city with a high-powered gun. I'm proud, on behalf of the Greens, to support these gun law reforms today.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. Steph Hodgins-May Hodgins-May says the Greens support the bill as a crucial first step to reduce gun violence by closing firearms loopholes and buying back unnecessary weapons, while arguing that further evidence-based action against hatred and extremism is also needed.
    “Gun reform is certainly not the whole solution to keeping us safer, but it is a crucial first step taking away one of the most dangerous tools used to cause harm. It is a step that I would have assumed uncontroversial in the wake of the tragic events in Bondi. That is why this bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, has the support of the Australian Greens.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Jordon Steele-John Steele-John says the Greens will support the bill because its tighter import controls, improved background checks and national firearm buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. will strengthen public safety, while preserving access for responsible owners with legitimate reasons.
    “That is why the Greens will support the changes in this bill. We support tighter controls on what can be imported. The Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026 places restrictions on the importation of assisted repeating and straight-pull firearms, on magazines of more than 30 rounds, on firearms suppressors and speed loaders.”

    Australian Greens • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

One Nation

2 speakers · 2 oppose

  1. Malcolm Roberts ★ Malcolm Roberts opposes the bill, arguing that it unfairly penalises lawful firearm owners, restricts legitimate access to firearms information and removes affordable merits reviewA process in which a tribunal or other authorised body reconsiders a decision and can replace it with the decision it considers correct. without addressing the real cause of extremist violence.
    “The list of terror attacks I read used guns, bombs, knives, cars and trucks. Guns are a strawman argument. 'Look over here at these evil guns and don't look at the person wielding the gun.' Failing to act against radical Islam will lead to Australians losing their lives. Australia does not have a gun problem; we have a radical ideology problem. One Nation strongly supports the right to own and use firearms lawfully and responsibly. This Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026 penalises legitimate law-abiding gun owners. The poor wording shows a failure to understand how guns are used on farms and in sport. This is what happens when city based antigun groups are consulted and gun owner associations are not. The bill proposes to limit the use of carriage services. This is pitched to limit the use of the internet to access blueprints and use 3D printers to print guns. This is already illegal under state law.”

    Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Sean Bell Bell says One Nation opposes the bill because its firearm buybackA temporary program under which participating states and territories collect eligible surrendered firearms and compensate their owners, with Commonwealth funding available. would punish law-abiding gun owners rather than target criminals and extremists, while imposing an unknown multibillion-dollar cost.
    “Here is what One Nation wants instead: we want policies that actually target criminals and protect the public. That is how you improve safety, not by scapegoating farmers and licence holders, not by punishing law-abiding Australians and not by pretending criminals and terrorists will comply with a gun buyback. Again, to the law-abiding firearm community: One Nation hears you, and we will stand with you. And to the wider public: do not be fooled by this farce. Do not be fooled, because real safety comes from confronting the cause of the threats and enforcing laws against criminals, not cracking down on the people who are already abiding by the law. One Nation opposes this buyback, and we will keep fighting for common sense and fairness. We will keep standing with farmers, regional Australians, pest controllers, sporting shooters and collectors. We are not about to support a policy where we don't know how many billions it's going to cost—and it's in the billions. How many regional hospitals could we be funding?”

    Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Minor parties and independents

8 speakers · 9 contributions · 3 support · 2 oppose · 2 mixed · 1 unclear

  1. Lidia Thorpe ★ Thorpe supports stronger gun laws but argues that the bill should go further by imposing nationally consistent oversight and transparency requirements on firearms held by police, defence and other authorities.
    “I welcome strengthened gun laws, but, if we're serious about gun safety, accountability can't stop at just civilian firearms. Oversight, tracking and transparency must apply to all guns, including those issued to police, prison guards, security guards and defence personnel. I intend to move a second reading amendment in my name, which calls on this parliament to implement robust and nationally consistent oversight of firearms. The public has a right to know what firearms are imported into this country and who imports them, how they are stored and used and what happens to them at the end of their life cycle.”

    Independent • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  2. Sophie Scamps Dr Scamps moved amendments to insert a National Firearms Safety Council into the bill, with functions covering evidence-based policy advice, data collection, research, and oversight of firearms regulation.
    “Dr SCAMPS (Mackellar) (11:04): by leave—I move amendments (1) and (2) as circulated in my name together:”

    Independent • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  3. David Pocock David Pocock supports the bill's stronger firearms controls, information sharing and background checks, but criticises the rushed process and seeks a committee inquiry and an independent review to address implementation concerns and unintended consequences.
    “But support for the intent and the majority of the provisions of this bill does not excuse the failure of process. Ramming complex legislation through parliament without adequate consultation undermines trust. That is why, while I support this bill, I cannot ignore the serious deficiencies in how it is being handled. We owe it to the victims of the Bondi attack, the Jewish community and all Australians, including those who lawfully own and use firearms, to get this right. For that reason, I'll move a motion that, once passed, this bill be referred to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee for inquiry to report by 2 March 2026. That inquiry will allow this Senate to hear from the community, test the legislation, identify unintended consequences and make any necessary amendments without delaying the urgent protections Australians rightly expect. I will also put forward an amendment to establish an independent statutory review of this legislation in two years time. I'm hopeful that these amendments, put forward in good faith, will help to improve public trust in these laws and in our political process.”

    Independent • Senator • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  4. Andrew Gee Andrew Gee opposes the bill, arguing that it is a rushed political response developed without adequate scrutiny or regional consultation and that it unfairly targets law-abiding gun owners, despite supporting stronger firearms background checks and intelligence sharing.
    “I am unable to support this bill, and I won't support this bill. One of the issues that many in our electorate have is that this has been a political response to the horrific crime that was perpetrated on 14 December 2025. Many have noted that the government's first reaction to this atrocity was to call for firearm reform rather than a royal commission, which would shine a light on exactly what happened here. It smacked of a political response and the avoidance of scrutiny. This has caused widespread anger amongst law-abiding gun owners in our region who believe that the government has unfairly targeted them, rather than uncovering all the facts that led to this evil crime.”

    Independent • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  5. Rebekha Sharkie Sharkie opposes the bill, arguing that it has been rushed through without proper scrutiny and that its poorly drafted firearms provisions unfairly penalise lawful gun owners without addressing the extremist threat behind the attack.
    “Just this morning, this legislation, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, was made available for us to view. How does that give anyone in this place who respects their job as a lawmaker time to properly scrutinise this government's bill? We'll have just 90 minutes of debate, and then debate's going to be gagged, this bill's going to be sent to the Senate, where a deal has already been done with the Greens party, and then it's going to be passed. What contempt of the parliamentary process! When we rush legislation, we make mistakes and the Australian public suffers the consequences. The normal process for contentious legislation—everybody in here knows this—is that there is an exposure draft, we have a look at it, there are early discussions and then the government may present the bill. Then there is a formal inquiry that often travels around the nation, giving people who would be affected by the legislation the opportunity to make submissions, to be heard in that process, and perhaps even to present to the inquiry. I'm told that the rushed Senate inquiry into this whole bill did not give many firearms owners or even organisations involved in sports shooting the opportunity to be heard.”

    Centre Alliance • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  6. Zali Steggall 2 contributions Zali Steggall will support the bill because stronger firearms controls are needed, but criticises the lack of consultation and urges the government to strengthen background checks and broader gun regulation.

    Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Zali Steggall on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.

    Second reading speech Independent • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Zali Steggall will support the bill because stronger firearms controls are needed, but criticises the lack of consultation and urges the government to strengthen background checks and broader gun regulation.

    “This is not the USA; this is Australia. We want genuinely strong gun controls. While I will support this legislation, I urge the government to go further and ensure that background checks properly assess the risk and safety of all Australians.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗

    Consideration in detail speech Independent • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Steggall moved amendments to broaden firearms background checks so domestic violence orders and related history could be considered, arguing the bill should better protect Australians, especially women, from access to guns by people with violent histories. She criticized the bill as drafted and commended her amendments to the House.

    “It is not acceptable that dangerous men or women have access to firearms when we have a domestic violence crisis. I do not understand why, if we are bringing legislation forward after the tragedy of the Bondi terrorist attack, we should not also be ensuring all Australians are safe, and that should include women being safe from domestic violence. I commend these amendments to the House to ensure that people should not be able to have access to licensed firearms if they have a violent history, especially in respect of domestic violence.”
    Read this contribution in Hansard ↗
  7. Bob Katter Katter moved an amendment to automatically revoke firearms from anyone placed on an ASIO watchlistAn informal label on this page for people identified by ASIO as presenting a security concern; one proposed amendment would have automatically revoked their firearms access., arguing authorities failed to disarm a dangerous person after 15 Australians were killed.
    “When this person was put on an ASIO watchlist, there was no effort made to remove registered high-powered firearms from that person, so the people who were enforcing the ASIO watchlist are the second group of people who were responsible in the end for the deaths of 15 innocent Australian people.”

    Katter's Australian Party • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
  8. Helen Haines Haines supports the member for Mackellar’s amendments and says the key aim is to close gaps in national gun laws that let people with criminal intent obtain firearms.
    “So I support legislation which does that. I support what the member for Mackellar is trying to do.”

    Independent • MP • 20 Jan 2026

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

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