SSAA ACT Inc Executive Attends National Party Conference

Members of the SSAA ACT Inc Executive had the opportunity on 16 August 2026 to attend the Federal National Party Conference in Canberra and engage directly with National Party MPs and Senators, as well as with other members of the shooting community from the ACT and NSW. The opportunity was particularly valuable given the National Party's current parliamentary action to challenge the Federal Government's post-Bondi firearms legislation and the proposed national firearms buyback.

A key focus of the discussions was the Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026, introduced into the Federal Parliament by Senator Bridget McKenzie, Leader of the Nationals in the Senate.

Senator McKenzie has been a prominent voice within the Federal Parliament opposing the post-Bondi firearms legislation. Her position has been that the legislative response has placed an unfair burden on Australia's approximately one million lawful firearms licence holders, including farmers, sporting shooters, hunters, collectors and pest controllers.

The Bill seeks to repeal the Federal Government's post-Bondi firearms restrictions and return Commonwealth firearms law to its previous position - based on demonstrated genuine reasons for a firearms licence and demonstrated genuine need for every individual firearms acquisition - while retaining certain measures relating to background checking and hate-related provisions. It also seeks to remove the Federal Government's legislative basis for the proposed national firearms buyback.

Senator McKenzie's position is particularly significant because she was involved in the original parliamentary debate Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, and subsequently moved to challenge those measures.

In January, she argued in the Senate that the existing firearms framework had not prevented the Bondi perpetrators from obtaining firearms and questioned why lawful firearms owners should bear the consequences of the attack. More recently, Senator McKenzie has introduced the repeal Bill, describing the post-Bondi firearms laws as unfair and arguing that the perpetrators should not have had access to firearms under the laws that already existed. The Nationals have also argued that the legislation was developed without adequate consultation with the firearms community and industry. For SSAA ACT Inc, the significance of Senator McKenzie's Bill is that this is not simply a statement of political opposition. It represents a formal parliamentary attempt to reverse the Federal firearms changes and provides an important opportunity for the concerns of lawful firearms owners to be considered at the national level.

At the conference, SSAA ACT Inc representatives were able to stand alongside Federal MPs and Senators from the National Party, together with shooters from the ACT and NSW, as the National Party outlined its opposition to the post-Bondi firearms measures. The National Party's willingness to publicly challenge the legislation is important. Regardless of political affiliation, SSAA ACT Inc believes it is appropriate to acknowledge elected representatives who are prepared to scrutinise legislation and question whether measures imposed on lawful firearms owners are proportionate to the risks they are intended to address. The National Party has also supported the NSW repeal initiative, which seeks to overturn significant elements of the NSW Government's post-Bondi firearms reforms. The NSW reforms include firearm ownership caps and a large-scale buyback program, with NSW now preparing to commence its buyback on 2 November 2026. (The Guardian)

Our discussions with National Party MPs and Senators also provided an opportunity to explain the particular concerns facing firearms licence holders in the ACT.

There is growing concern that the NSW approach could become a template for further changes in other jurisdictions, including the ACT. This is particularly relevant given the ACT Government's own proposed firearm ownership limits and its participation in discussions surrounding the national buyback. The concern is not simply about the number of firearms an individual may lawfully possess. It is about the broader consequences of introducing ownership caps and surrender schemes into a regulated sporting and recreational activity. We discussed the importance of ensuring that the ACT does not simply follow NSW because it has introduced similar measures. Each jurisdiction should consider its own circumstances and the evidence supporting proposed restrictions.

One of the practical issues we raised was the financial impact of a buyback on lawful firearms owners. The cost of a firearm represents only one component of the investment made by many shooters. A firearm may be accompanied by a significant investment in scopes, mounts, magazines, cases, bipods, specialised equipment and other accessories that have been selected specifically for that firearm and the discipline in which it is used.

When the firearm is surrendered, those associated investments may no longer have practical value to the owner. This is particularly relevant under the current NSW arrangements. Compensation announced for the initial phase ranges from $450 for air rifles through to amounts generally capped at $1,000 for many firearms, with a separate process proposed for some higher-value firearms from 2027. (The Guardian) The issue we raised with politicians was therefore broader than simply asking, "What is the value of the firearm?" The relevant question is what constitutes fair compensation when a government-mandated surrender of a firearm also leaves the owner with associated equipment and accessories that were purchased specifically for that firearm. This is an issue that deserves proper consideration in any future ACT buyback proposal.

We also discussed the potential impact of firearm ownership caps on families involved in shooting sports. Shooting is frequently a family activity, with parents supporting children as they progress through junior development programs and competitive disciplines. A firearm may be purchased specifically for a junior shooter because of their size, discipline, experience or progression. If those firearms are counted against a parent's ownership limit, a cap intended to regulate individual ownership could have unintended consequences for families. This is particularly important for junior development. A junior who is developing as a competitive shooter should not be placed at a disadvantage simply because their family's firearms are subject to an aggregate ownership limit. The rules need to recognise that firearms used by different members of a family can represent separate sporting equipment rather than simply multiple firearms being accumulated by one individual.

These practical consequences need to be considered before ownership caps are implemented.

Another important part of today's discussions was the opportunity to demonstrate the diversity of Australia's shooting community. The people affected by these legislative changes are not a single group.

They include:

• competitive target shooters;
• junior shooters and their families;
• recreational shooters;
• hunters;
• farmers and rural landholders;
• professional and volunteer pest controllers;
• firearms dealers and gunsmiths;
• collectors;
• instructors and range operators;
• sporting clubs and associations.

Our message was that lawful firearms licence holders should not be treated as though they are responsible for the actions of individuals who misuse firearms.

The Bondi terrorist attack was a horrific event, and governments clearly have a responsibility to examine what occurred and what can be done to prevent similar attacks in the future.

However, there is an important distinction between addressing genuine risks posed by individuals who should not have access to firearms and imposing broad restrictions on people who have complied with licensing, storage, training and registration requirements. Senator McKenzie has made this distinction a central part of her opposition to the Federal legislation, arguing that the perpetrators should not have had access to firearms under the existing legal framework and that the response should therefore examine how those individuals were able to obtain firearms rather than simply imposing additional burdens on lawful owners. (News.com.au)

SSAA ACT Inc would like to acknowledge Senator Bridget McKenzie and the National Party for taking a clear parliamentary position on these issues and, importantly, for taking the additional step of introducing legislation to seek the repeal of the Federal Government's post-Bondi firearms restrictions.

Senator McKenzie's involvement has provided an important avenue for the concerns of lawful firearms owners, sporting shooters, farmers and industry participants to be raised directly within the Federal Parliament.

We also acknowledge the broader National Party parliamentary team for continuing to raise these concerns and for recognising that effective firearms policy needs to distinguish between lawful firearms ownership and the criminal or extremist misuse of firearms.

While the outcome of the Federal repeal Bill is ultimately a matter for the Parliament, the decision to introduce it ensures that these issues remain part of the national political debate.

We would particularly like to thank Chris from Tough Gear for helping facilitate the opportunity for SSAA ACT Inc representatives to attend the conference and participate in these discussions.

Tough Gear is a long-established firearms and sporting supplier serving the Canberra and Queanbeyan region, and Chris’s involvement provided an important industry perspective alongside that of sporting shooters and representative organisations.

Today's discussions were a valuable opportunity to provide Federal representatives with a better understanding of the people behind the statistics and legislation.

Our objective is not to oppose regulation for the sake of opposing regulation. SSAA ACT Inc supports firearms regulation that is effective, proportionate, evidence-based and directed at genuine public safety risks.

We will continue to engage constructively with elected representatives and other stakeholder organisations as the Federal, NSW and ACT legislative processes develop.

Members can follow SSAA ACT Inc's ongoing advocacy and legislative updates through our Legislative Action Updates page.