Confusion over exemptions clouds NSW gun buyback as shooters hold back

First surrender appointments open ahead of November 2, but farmers and sporting shooters say they need the exemption rules first

By LineZotpaper AI staff

Published26 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources3 outlets

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NSW has opened first appointments for its contested gun buyback ahead of the November 2 start date, but farming and shooting groups say uncertainty over who qualifies for exemptions will deter many gun owners from surrendering firearms.

Bookings opened at noon on Monday for gun owners to surrender guns at six police stations: Narellan, Penrith, Sutherland, Griffith, Grafton and Dubbo. A further 34 stations will join the scheme in coming months. The first stage offers compensation of up to $1000 per gun, with payments for higher value firearms to follow next year.

The scheme follows the Bondi terror attack, in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured. Legislation rushed through parliament introduced a four-gun cap for most shooters and a 10-gun cap for farmers and sporting shooters. A draft regulation would let the police commissioner consider exemptions case by case where owners have a genuine need for additional firearms.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley said police would conduct "targeted consultation" on the regulation. Circumstances that may qualify include farmers with guns at multiple properties and elite sporting shooters who need different guns for different events. "We're just making sure people have all the right information, so they can make a decision about how they want to deal with the guns that they have and how they choose to participate in the buyback," Catley said.

NSW Farmers Association rural affairs committee vice chair Glen Andreazza said he would be surprised if any farmers took part before the exemption regulations were known. "There would be no reason for a farmer to surrender any weapons at this point in time," he said. The Sporting Shooters Association Australia is encouraging members to comply with the law, but NSW chief executive Pete Szaak said the uncertainty made voluntary surrender unlikely. "Given there is no requirement to compulsorily hand guns in, you should think about all these things first," he said.

The Shooters Union is encouraging members to boycott the buyback. The Coalition and One Nation have called for the caps to be repealed, and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane, who voted for the crackdown, said the Liberals would scrap caps for farmers and sporting shooters.

A Resolve Political Monitor survey of voters in August and September found 80 per cent supported restricting gun licences to Australian citizens, 73 per cent favoured the four-gun cap, and 75 per cent supported time limits on licences. A majority, 53 per cent, supported the buyback, while 20 per cent opposed it and 27 per cent were neutral or undecided.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

Gun owners now face a practical decision: surrender firearms in the first compensated stage or wait for exemption rules that have not been finalised.
Turnout in the first weeks will be an early test of how the post-Bondi crackdown is landing with the public and with shooting communities.
The policy is heading into an election, with Labor committed to the crackdown and the Coalition and One Nation pushing to repeal the caps.

Background

NSW introduced the firearm caps in legislation rushed through parliament after the Bondi attack, placing a four-gun limit on most shooters and a 10-gun limit on farmers and sporting shooters. A draft regulation would allow the police commissioner to grant case-by-case exemptions for genuine need. The buyback is the first operational stage of that scheme, with higher value compensation promised next year.

Key Perspectives

NSW government: Police Minister Yasmin Catley says police will run targeted consultation on the exemption regulation, and the government wants owners to have the right information before they choose how to participate. NSW Farmers Association: Glen Andreazza says there is no reason for a farmer to surrender any weapons before the exemption rules are known. Sporting Shooters Association Australia: Pete Szaak says uncertainty over exemptions makes voluntary surrender unlikely, and with no compulsory hand-in, owners should think carefully before acting. Shooters Union: Is encouraging members to boycott the buyback. Coalition and One Nation: Have called for the caps to be repealed, and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane says the Liberals would scrap caps for farmers and sporting shooters. Voters: A Resolve Political Monitor survey found large majorities support citizen-only licensing, the four-gun cap and licence time limits, and 53 per cent support the buyback.

What to Watch

How many gun owners book appointments in the first weeks at the six participating police stations.
The release of the draft exemption regulation and details of police consultation, which will likely decide whether farmers and sporting shooters take part.
Election positioning on the buyback, as Labor defends the crackdown while the Coalition and One Nation campaign for repeal.

Sources

Shooters wary of surrendering firearms as confusion surrounds NSW gun buyback · Brisbane Times
Shooters wary of surrendering firearms as confusion surrounds NSW gun buyback · WAtoday
Shooters wary of surrendering firearms as confusion surrounds NSW gun buyback · The Sydney Morning Herald

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe headline says shooters are already holding back from the NSW buyback because of confusion over exemptions.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Doubts are mounting over how many people will participate in the first stage of NSW’s controversial gun buyback scheme as confusion lingers over which shooters qualify for exemptions to the caps.”
SupportedThe summary says first surrender appointments open before November 2, while farmers and sporting shooters say they need the exemption rules first.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The first buyback appointments opened on Monday ahead of the November 2 start date for the scheme, but farming and shooting groups have questioned how many will willingly take part without knowing if they qualify for an exemption next year.”
Partly supportedThe opening says uncertainty over exemptions will deter many gun owners from surrendering firearms.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “farming and shooting groups have questioned how many will willingly take part without knowing if they qualify for an exemption next year.”
Partly supportedCatley said police would conduct “targeted consultation” on the regulation.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “A NSW government statement said police will conduct “targeted consultation” on the regulation.”
SupportedCatley said: “We're just making sure people have all the right information, so they can make a decision about how they want to deal with the guns that they have and how they choose to participate in the buyback,”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““We’re just making sure people have all the right information, so they can make a decision about how they want to deal with the guns that they have and how they choose to participate in the buyback,” Catley said.”
SupportedAndreazza said: “There would be no reason for a farmer to surrender any weapons at this point in time,”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““There would be no reason for a farmer to surrender any weapons at this point in time,” he said.”
SupportedSzaak said: “Given there is no requirement to compulsorily hand guns in, you should think about all these things first,”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Given there is no requirement to compulsorily hand guns in, you should think about all these things first … it’s not as if police are ripping doors down doing search warrants,” he said.”
SupportedBookings opened at noon on Monday at six named police stations, with 34 more stations to join in coming months.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Bookings opened at noon on Monday for gun owners to surrender their guns at six police stations: Narellan, Penrith, Sutherland, Griffith, Grafton and Dubbo. A further 34 stations will participate in the scheme in the coming months.”
SupportedThe first stage offers compensation of up to $1,000 per gun, with compensation for higher-value firearms coming next year.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The first stage of the scheme will offer compensation of up to $1000 for each gun. Compensation for higher value firearms will come next year.”
SupportedThe Bondi terror attack killed 15 people and injured dozens.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “in the wake of the Bondi terror attack in which 15 people were killed and dozens of others injured.”
SupportedThe legislation introduced a four-gun cap for most shooters and a 10-gun cap for farmers and sporting shooters.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The government introduced a four-gun cap for most shooters, with farmers and sporting shooters granted a 10-gun cap, under legislation rushed through the parliament”
SupportedThe draft regulation would let the police commissioner consider case-by-case exemptions for owners with a genuine need for additional firearms.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Under a draft regulation, a further exemption to the cap would be considered by the police commissioner on a case-by-case basis if gun owners have a genuine need for each additional firearm above the cap.”