Member Update – Proposed Bill for Changes to ACT Firearms Act 1996

8 February 2026

Dear Members,

The Executive Committee of Council and other volunteers have been working throughout the holidays to develop and coordinate a coherent response to the proposed changes resulting from the Bondi Terrorist attack in December. We have also been working to engage with key decision-makers and stakeholders, to keep our members informed of the situation and to provide meaningful guidance. A quick summary of activities is outlined below:

  • initial collection of information and communication with key stakeholders – primarily SSAA National and SSAA NSW but also with other SSAA States & Territories.

  • Development and distribution of;

    • initial Member Update on 20 December 2025

    • Submission to ACT Government, available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc

    • follow-up Member Update on 5 January 2026 – and supporting Members Information Pack

  • Meeting requests to;

    • ACT Chief Minister (Andrew Barr)

    • ACT Police Minister (Dr Marisa Paterson)

    • ACT Leader of the Opposition (Mark Parton)

    • ACT Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services (Deborah Morris)

  • Meetings / Correspondence / Discussions with;

    • ACT Leader of the Opposition (Mark Parton), including a meeting at the SSAA ACT Ranges

    • ACT Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services (Deborah Morris), including a meeting at the SSAA ACT Ranges

    • ACT Police Minister (Dr Marisa Paterson), including a meeting at the ACT Legislative Assembly

    • The Executive Committee met face-to-face on Sunday 18 January with the SSAA President (Andrew Judd), the CEO (Tom Kenyon), and the SSAA Media & Political Manager (Charlotte Fox) ahead of the recall session of the Federal Parliament to debate the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026. Afterwards, the SSAA CEO – Tom Kenyon met with Senator for the ACT (David Pocock) at a roundtable discussion at Parliament House.

Outcomes from the above include;

  • Commitment from ACT Liberals to consult with and consider input from SSAA ACT Inc on potential or proposed changes to the ACT Firearms Act 1996 

  • Advice from the ACT Police Minister that;

    • there is no intent to change the existing Firearms License term

    • The ACT Government intends to transition to an integrated screening and suitability assessment process for Firearms Licenses and other purposes – utilising AusCheck

    • The ACT Government will table a draft new ACT Firearms Act during the first sitting period in February – from 3-6 February

    • The draft Bill should go straight to Committee for review and a public consultation period

    • There is likely to be progressive process of development and implementation of changes to the existing ACT Firearms legislation, as well as appropriate opportunities for consultation with key stakeholders before any proposed changes were legislated

A full summary of our meeting with the ACT Police Minister is available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc

The Executive Committee is now developing a Submission for the ACT Standing Committee on Legal Affairs in response to the recently tabled Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill 2026, which is available on the Legislative Action page of our website, here: Legislative Action – SSAA ACT Inc.

Keep your eye out for a Member Survey in the coming week or so, and we will draw member feedback from your responses.

Media Management

At our February meeting, Council also agreed to retain a Canberra-based Public Relations firm to develop and manage a three-month online public relations campaign to raise public awareness and mobilise public support for SSAA ACT Inc.  We are approaching ACT-based PR firms but if any of our Members have applicable experience, expertise and capability in developing, implementing and managing a public relations campaign – and are interested in either providing the service on a commercial basis or helping out as a volunteer – please contact our Vice President (Julian Talbot) at: vp@ssaaact.org.au ​

If members are interested in being part of the campaign and telling their stories, could they please get in contact via this form, or email the above address.

Gun Buyback and Firearms Limits;

There is no actual gun buyback at the moment. The Federal Government has passed an appropriation to fund a future gun buyback, should one be implemented – but without any dollar value attached and without any details as to how it might be constituted or implemented. NSW will certainly need to implement a buyback, in conjunction with the Federal Government, but there have been no details about that yet either. Firearms Limits have been proposed for the ACT but have not yet been legislated and the final Bill is subject to a Legislative Assembly review and consultation process.

  • SSAA National is actively lobbying at the National level against a buyback and the imposition of arbitrary firearms limits

    • so are we at the ACT Government level

  • SSAA National is actively lobbying that any buyback must be based on fair-market-value, consistent with the 1996 buyback scheme

    • so are we at the ACT Government level

  • SSAA National has engaged a legal firm to examine the Commonwealth Constitutional and legislative issues underpinning any buyback with respect to any requirement to pay fair market value and to avoid financial detriment arising from any compulsory acquisition

  • SSAA National will launch a legal challenge if the government seeks to implement anything other than fair-market-value

    • SSAA ACT Inc has agreed to engage a Canberra-based legal firm to provide specialist legal advice and to represent our interests in any legal challenge that may be appropriate or required.

  • SSAA National is liaising with other Associations to join a class action against anything other than fair market value.

  • In the ACT there are legislative provisions requiring that any compulsory acquisitions must be based on fair market value and not result in undue financial detriment.

  • In the ACT, the acquisition of assets or goods requires “just terms compensation” based on the market value of a “willing but not anxious seller” selling to a “willing but not anxious buyer.” 

  • In the ACT, even if there is “No General Market”, compensation is determined by its worth to the owner, including replacement costs.

Petition

Nicole Small (our Secretary) has personally initiated a petition in the ACT Legislative Assembly in response to proposed changes to the ACT Firearms Act:  Firearms Reform – Evidence Based Policy and Proper Consultation ACT Legislative Assembly 

The petition calls for (among other things)

  • an evidence-based policy process, ensuring that any proposed changes are: 

    • justified by data; 

    • supported by expert analysis; and 

    • demonstrably linked to improved public safety outcomes;

  • genuine, fair and reasonable consultation with affected stakeholders, including: 

    • licensed firearm owners; 

    • firearms dealers and retailers; 

    • primary producers and land managers; 

    • pest control operators; 

    • sporting organisations; 

    • conservation bodies; 

    • government agencies and security organisations that hold licenses; and 

    • rural landholders;

  • ensure that any reform measures are proportionate, fair and targeted, with a clear focus on criminal misuse and illegal firearms rather than lawful, compliant ownership;

The petition is open and at last count had over 700 signatures. Any petition over 500 is automatically referred to the applicable committee but the more signatures a petition has, the more seriously it is likely to be taken.

Although it is a private petition, it is endorsed by the SSAA ACT Inc Council and I have no hesitation commending it for your consideration.

The Secretary is also working on facilitating opportunities for members to have direct contact with various politicians, police, political parties and potentially other shooting entities to be able to ask questions and be informed. 

This is a stressful time for everyone and all of us are anxious about what changes may be made to the firearms laws that have been working effectively to maintain and promote public safety in the ACT for decades. We are also anxious that the reputation, viability and sustainability of our shooting sports and other legitimate firearms-related activities, are not undermined or jeapordised by the actions of criminals, extremists and terrorists.

​Shane Stroud
President
SSAA ACT Inc

©2025 SSAA ACT Inc.

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