Australia’s Gun “Buyback” Is Already Falling Apart

Australia has utilized one of the most aggressive gun control regimes in the world since a mass shooting in 1996.

In news that comes a shock to no one that keeps up with firearm confiscation schemes, the one in Australia is already having issues. Gun confiscation schemes are often sold as “common sense solutions.”

However, when it comes to how they actually play out they often fail and cost taxpayers millions. That’s exactly what’s happening right now in Australia. Their newly proposed national gun “buyback” is already facing major resistance. It appears it may be dead on arrival.

The Plan: Another Massive Gun Grab

Following a high-profile attack last year, Australia’s federal government pushed for a National Gun Buyback Scheme aimed at confiscating newly banned firearms. Their timeline was aggressive. The government was seeking agreement by March 31 and legislation by July 1. Their idea was to have all confiscation completed by 2028.

Their issue? Australia doesn’t have centralized control over gun laws. It is actually the states of Australia that have that power. If the central government does not have their support, the entire plan falls apart.

States Are Refusing to Play Along

What we are currently seeing is less than half of Australia’s states and territories have signed on. There are several leaders who have outright rejected the proposal. Officials in Queensland, Northern Territory, and South Australia have all raised serious concerns.

Their concerns are lack of evidence that the policy improves safety. They are seeing a failure to address actual criminal threats. One of the biggest issues we often see with gun “buy back” schemes is the massive financial burden on taxpayers. It always costs the taxpayers more than promised and has little to no impact on actual public safety.

The Real Cost: Billions

What we are seeing in Australia is that one of the biggest sticking points is money. This comes after we have seen this issue pop up in Canada with their “buyback” scheme. The estimates suggest the buyback could cost $10–14 billion (USD equivalent).

Most likely that is a conservative estimate. All of this comes at a time when many Australians are already dealing with a rising cost of living. It is only natural that states are asking why are we spending billions targeting law-abiding citizens?

Who Actually Gets Targeted?

Here’s the part that never changes when these schemes are proposed, it is always law-abiding gun owners that are mandated to turn in their firearms. You never see the criminals or terrorists effected by this.

The only people affected by this are hunters, farmers, recreational shooters, and small businesses in the firearms industry. Those who commit crimes are going to continue to do so regardless of these policy proposals.

The Political Reality

Even critics inside Australia are calling the plan what it is a rushed response. They point out that it is poorly thought-out and a massive overreach on the rights of the citizens. We even see some already labeling it a “failure” before it even begins. However, the federal government is still pushing forward.

Why This Matters in the U.S.

This does matter here in the United States as well. We are seeing many politicians, both on the state and federal levels, push schemes just like you are seeing in Australia. Even in Minnesota some of our representatives have expressed support for “buyback” programs.

We have heard many times how Australia’s gun policies are a blueprint for us here in the U.S. by gun control advocates. For now, reality is setting in. As with other countries, the cost is unsustainable and the logistics are unworkable. In the end, the results don’t justify the effort.

Australia’s latest gun buyback is shaping up to be exactly what we have warned about. They are expensive, ineffective, and politically driven. Most importantly, they are often unsupported by the very people expected to carry it out. This is yet another reminder disarming the law-abiding has never been a solution, it’s just been sold as one.

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