One Nation has unveiled its principal firearms policy for the upcoming New South Wales state election in March, proposing the removal of existing caps on gun ownership and an end to the state’s controversial buyback program. The announcement was made by party leader Mike Newman on October 30 in Cessnock, a key Labor-held seat that One Nation aims to capture.

Newman criticized the government’s post-Bondi firearm restrictions, which he said have adversely affected both the firearms industry and lawful gun owners. “We want to scrap the cap, end this buyback, and instead of legal firearm owners being the first punished and the last considered, we’re going to go after criminals,” Newman stated. He is campaigning for the Upper Hunter seat in the upcoming election.

The policy blueprint includes a comprehensive overhaul of the state’s firearms registry, reinstating licence terms to five years and reducing bureaucratic obstacles for gun owners. Additionally, One Nation plans to bolster staffing within the registry to expedite processing times and enhance intelligence sharing. The party also seeks to restore the right of firearm owners to appeal decisions through the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT), an option that was removed by the government under the current regulations.

While advocating for fewer restrictions on lawful owners, One Nation also proposes increased penalties for crimes involving firearms, such as during robberies. The party intends to repeal firearms-related provisions embedded in counterterrorism legislation that was enacted following the 2019 Bondi attack.

NSW remains the only Australian state committed to the current gun buyback scheme, which is set to commence on November 1. Under this program, firearm owners may surrender weapons and ammunition, but only at six designated police stations throughout the state. The Coalition has publicly opposed the buyback initiative.

Newman argued that the government’s expedited gun laws enacted after the Bondi incident have failed to prevent ongoing gun violence in Sydney. “The rushed laws have not addressed the systems that failed us, or stopped a single shooting in Sydney, of which there have been dozens since that dreadful day in Bondi,” he said.

As the March election approaches, One Nation’s firearms policy underscores a broader debate surrounding gun regulation, public safety, and individual rights in New South Wales.