First state confirms rejection of national gun buyback
Queensland has become the first state to publicly reject the biggest gun buyback since the Port Arthur massacre.
Prime Minister David Crisafulli confirmed on Wednesday that his state would not support the plan, saying it would not keep weapons out of the hands of terrorists and criminals.
Fast-moving legislation making this plan possible, along with tighter firearms restrictions, was rushed through the Senate on Tuesday night following the December 14 Bondi terror attack.
Fifteen people were killed when two gunmen opened fire on Jewish celebrations, making it the deadliest attack in Australia since the Port Arthur tragedy in 1996.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said the buyback was the biggest since the Port Arthur backlash, said Crisafulli’s government needed to justify its position.
Queensland will introduce its own gun control legislation after the “chaotic” debate in Canberra, the Prime Minister has said.
“Queensland will not pursue gun buybacks because it is not tackling anti-Semitism and hatred and is not focused on keeping guns out of the hands of terrorists and criminals,” Mr Crisafulli said.
He added that the Liberal National government would introduce legislation at the first session of the state parliament in February.
“We did this really calmly and took our time… our response will focus on the heart of the problem: anti-Semitism, hatred and the fact that weapons are in the hands of terrorists and criminals,” Mr. Crisafulli said.
“I saw what was going on in Canberra; most Australians looked at it and thought it was a very confusing debate, some might even say a bit chaotic, and I don’t want that in Queensland.”
The federal Labor government first tried to pass gun laws with separate anti-hate provisions, but split the bill after failing to get the numbers through the Senate.
The arms supply was agreed to with the support of the Greens on Tuesday.
Mr Albanese said Mr Crisafulli’s stance was not “in the interest of Queenslanders or the nation” and said there needed to be a uniform response, as there was after the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
The Northern Territory government has previously said it would not support a scheme under which states and territories would share buyback costs to encourage gun owners to surrender their firearms in exchange for payment.
“If the federal government wants to implement a national buyback plan they must fund it, I will not let Territorians foot that bill every day,” NT Premier Lia Finocchiaro said in early January. he said.
Tasmania’s Liberal government has also not yet supported the buyback and is expected to formalize its position on Tuesday.
More than four million guns are in circulation across the country, with more than a million in Queensland and NSW, according to Home Office figures.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said gun laws were aimed at the method of massacre, but these laws could only be as strong as the weakest state.
