The Minns Labour Government is today announcing a major $39.3 million uplift to the NSW Firearms Registry to implement changes to firearm licensing intended to help keep the community safe.
Following the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach in which 15 innocent people were killed, the NSW Government introduced the toughest firearms laws in the country to strengthen oversight, reduce risk and reduce the number of guns in the community.
Key elements of the reforms include reducing the licence period from five years to two, strengthening checks on people seeking to own firearms, conducting a comprehensive audit of all existing firearm licences and capping the number of firearms a person can own.
The $39.3 milion investment will fund additional staff and system upgrades so the NSW Fireams Registry can effectively implement these changes.
The funding includes 22 additional registry staff to:
Process licence renewals
Support and strengthen the “genuine reason” checks required as part of each licence renewal
Support expanded reporting obligations for clubs and licence holders regarding membership and participation
Review new licence application requirements, including Australian citizenship
The NSW Firearms Registry will begin recruiting for these positions shortly and roles will be filled as soon as possible.
The uplift builds on a suite of reforms from the Minns Labor Govemment to strengthen policing capabilities in NSW and better protect the community including：
Delivering a once-in-a-generation pay rise for police officers
Paying recruits to train at the Goulburn Police Academy, resulting in a 70% increase inapplications to join the NSWPF
Establishing the ‘Be a CopIn Your Hometown’ program
Establishing, the Professional Mobility Program to attract experienced officers from interstateand New Zealand
Establishing the Cadet Traineeship Program to create a new early pathway into policing
Establishing the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Command to support officers across their careers
Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:
“Today we are backing Australia’s toughest firearms’ refomms with the resources needed to make itnappen.
“This $39.3 million investment will deliver 22 extra staff for the Firearms Registry so these reformscan be implemented – strengthening checks, improving oversight and supporting the practical workneeded to reduce risk across the state.
“We introduced the toughest gun law reforms in a generation following the worst terror attack ourcountry has seen and today we are making sure the system has the people and capacity to deliverthem.”
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