Advertise on podcast: Gun News Australia: the latest news for Aussie shooters

New South Wales firearms dealers are facing serious uncertainty following changes to the state's firearms laws. But how serious could the consequences be for the shooting industry — and for licensed shooters? In this episode of Gun News Australia, we speak with One Nation's Jeff Bacon about the impact of NSW firearms legislation, the pressures facing dealers, the proposed buyback, and the political response. We discuss concerns about falling firearm transactions, the adequacy of financial support for affected dealers, and what these changes could mean for the future of shooting in NSW. Jeff also discusses the political choices facing licensed shooters ahead of the 2027 NSW State Election, including One Nation's firearms and hunting policies. Among the issues covered: The reported decline in firearms business turnover. Why Jeff describes the situation as potentially an extinction-level event for some dealers. Dealer support payments of up to $25,000 and questions about eligibility. NSW firearms legislation and the proposed buyback. One Nation's firearms policy proposals. The importance of voter discipline and preferences. One Nation NSW – Firearms and Hunting Policy: https://nsw.onenation.org.au/firearms-hunting One Nation - Scrap the tax fundraiser: https://nsw.onenation.org.au/donate-scrap-the-caps Support Gun News Australia: For more independent reporting and analysis affecting Australian licensed shooters, subscribe to Gun News Australia. Website: https://shooterscouncil.org.au #GunNewsAustralia #NSWFirearms #LicensedShooters #NSWPolitics #OneNation

VICTORIA is heading towards an election, but where are the serious firearms policies for licensed shooters? Gun News Australia asked Labor, the Liberals and the Nationals to address the issues facing shooting in Victoria. IN THIS EPISODE, we examine the answers, the unanswered questions - and the Nationals’ much-discussed “cheeseburger policy” – when the real issues need to be on licensing delays, unnecessary regulatory burdens, meaningful consultation and the need for an international-standard shooting facility. Shooting also delivers sporting, economic and community value to Victoria — value that deserves to be reflected in credible policy commitments. We also consider the published positions of One Nation and the Libertarians, and what the parties’ approaches tell us about the state of firearms policy ahead of the Victorian election. This episode assesses policies and commitments. Our separate election episode will look more closely at practical voting considerations. Support independent GNA reporting: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia Join our email list: https://shooterscouncil.org.au/email-list/ Website: https://shooterscouncil.org.au/ #GunNewsAustralia #VictorianElection #FirearmsPolicy #LicensedShooters #McNationals #cheeseburger

WHERE DID NSW PREMIER, CHRIS MINNS, get his firearm prices from? Minns told a parliamentary committee that he had researched prices - but two separate government agencies have advised Gun News Australia that they hold no information on the buyback prices. Those decisions do not prove that no research occurred — they raise questions about the supporting records. IN THIS EPISODE, we examine the Premier’s parliamentary remarks, the responses from the Premier’s Department and Cabinet Office, and the recordkeeping questions that follow when research informs government decisions. We also look at the fixed payments listed under the NSW firearm buyback and why individual firearm values may differ. The buyback begins taking appointments on 2 November 2026 at six initial police stations. That start date is not, by itself, a universal surrender deadline. We explain the announced 12-month scheme, the proposed independent valuation pathway for eligible higher-value firearms, and why owners should check their particular legal position before taking action. For official scheme information and current requirements, consult NSW Police: https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/online_services/firearms/national_gun_buyback_scheme Gun News Australia will continue seeking answers about the research behind the compensation figures. Subscribe, join our email list through shooterscouncil.org.au, and consider supporting our work through Patreon. #GunNewsAustralia #NSWBuyback #LicensedShooters #NSWPolitics #FirearmsPolicy

GOVERNMENT GUN SHOPS? The Victorian Greens have proposed a trial of 10 publicly owned supermarkets, arguing that essential groceries could become more affordable. But what happens when we apply the same reasoning to something the Greens have not proposed: government-run firearms outlets? In this slightly satirical episode of Gun News Australia, we examine the supermarket proposal, the claimed savings, and the questions that any government retail scheme needs to answer – and take that one step further to see how we could end up with more gun shops. What would it cost? Who would pay? How would it operate? And how would success be measured? We also look at why firearms dealers face different licensing, security and recordkeeping obligations, and why the supermarket policy could be extended to keep the costs that we end up paying, down.   Subscribe to Gun News Australia for independent reporting on the upcoming Victorian and NSW State Elections: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership Sources: Victorian Greens supermarket announcement (https://greens.org.au/news/media-release/vic-greens-take-coles-and-woolworths-public-supermarkets-30-essentials) and  ABC News reporting (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-08/victoria-greens-state-supermarkets-election-campaign/107239256).   #GunNewsAustralia #VictorianPolitics #TheGreens #FirearmsPolicy #LicensedShooters #VictoriaElection #GovernmentAccountability #AustralianPolitics

A BETTER WAY to regulate firearm use could cut red tape for shooting organisations, giving THEM more responsibility for licensing and range approvals — while limiting the role of police to conducting criminal-history checks. It means bureaucrats would no longer be making decisions about something they know nothing about. In this episode of Gun News Australia, we examine an accreditation model in which specialist shooting organisations could make technical decisions while government sets and enforces clear safety outcomes. What would this mean for licensed shooters, clubs and ranges? We look at how sporting qualifications and lawful needs could inform decisions on lever-action and semi-automatic firearms, magazine capacities and remove any notion of firearm caps.  Appearance laws would also become a thing of the past. We examine the comparison with electricity-network safety regulation, where operators manage serious technical risks under enforceable legal duties, audits and oversight.  It’s a model of regulation called “safety case” management, which is used for other industries where there are risks managed by experts, such as aviation, pharmaceuticals and so on. This is a proposal for review and a controlled pilot — not a removal of firearm laws. Organisations could choose whether to participate, so the key decision will come down to efficiency for organisations, and not left with bureaucrats. This model would remove unnecessary costs and red tape without affecting public safety outcomes. Tell us in the comments what your view of this is. Subscribe to Gun News Australia for independent firearms-policy reporting, and support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership #GunNewsAustralia #FirearmsPolicy #SportShooting #TargetShooting #FirearmsLicensing #ShootingClubs #Australia #PublicSafety

SHOOTERS BACKED A PRO-SHOOTING PARTY — and the result gives us a real case study in what organised political action can and cannot achieve. IN THIS EPISODE, we speak with Steve Harrison from the Australian Rights Coalition about why the organisation backed a campaign in the Secret Harbour by-election, what it hoped to achieve, and what happened after voters went to the polls. ARC says it contributed $20,000 to the campaign. The official WA Electoral Commission result shows One Nation’s Luke Herdegen was elected with 57% of the two party preferred vote. But one result does not prove that one donation caused an election outcome. We look at the evidence, the limits of that evidence, and what the experience may mean for shooting organisations considering more direct political engagement.   We also discuss where ARC goes next, what supporters are being asked to fund, and why accountability matters when shooting organisations enter the political arena. Check out the ARC’s site at australianrightscoalition.org.au/ If you value independent firearms-policy reporting and our FOI work, consider supporting Gun News Australia through Patreon at patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia #GunNewsAustralia #LicensedShooters #FirearmsPolicy #WesternAustralia #SecretHarbour #AustralianPolitics #ShootingCommunity #PoliticalAccountability

VICTORIA VOTES in November — and licensed shooters still need clear answers about what the major parties intend to do on firearms and shooting policy. IN THIS EPISODE, we’re joined by Danny Ryan from Sporting Clays Victoria to discuss what shooters should be asking before polling day and why the election campaign is the time to get commitments on the record. Gun News Australia has written to Victorian Labor, the Liberal Party and The Nationals asking each for the same three practical commitments: support for international-standard shooting facilities, a statutory mechanism for early consultation on major firearms policy, and a structured review of unnecessary regulatory burdens on licensed shooters. This episode is not about telling anyone how to vote. It is about getting clear answers before the election so shooters can assess the positions for themselves. The Victorian state election is on Saturday 28 November 2026. Support Gun News Australia through Patreon and help fund the FOI, legal and investigative work behind the stories at patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia #GunNewsAustralia #VictorianElection #FirearmsPolicy #LicensedShooters #ShootingSports #Victoria #TargetShooting #AustralianPolitics

NCAT OUTCOME: We took NSW Police to NCAT to find out what Australia’s firearms regulators discuss behind closed doors — and while we lost the case, the published reasons still reveal something important. The decision confirms that NSW Police relies on the Firearms and Weapons Policy Working Group when developing firearms policy, and that the group discusses what to regulate, who to regulate and how to regulate. That matters because it points to a national round table of regulators who shape the rules that affect licensed shooters, clubs, hunting and the shooting sports — while shooters are not allowed to be at the table. In this episode, we explain what the decision says, what it still leaves unanswered, and why this was never just a fight over paperwork. We also thank those who backed the challenge, because whatever the outcome, the message was sent: shooters will fight, and we will use lawful processes where we can.  In particular, those who contributed to the legal bill through PayPal, GoFundMe & by being a Patreon member. READ THE FULL DECISION HERE: Jenkins v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2026] NSWCATAD 292 – https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/cases/nsw/NSWCATAD/2026/292.html #GunNewsAustralia #NSWPolice #NCAT #GunPolicy #FirearmsLaw #ShootingSports #FOI #GovernmentTransparency

NSW LIBERALS have changed direction on key parts of the state’s firearms laws, proposing to freeze the buyback while a Commission of Inquiry reviews the legislation. IN THIS EPISODE, we speak with Australian Hunting Podcast's Jason Selmes, about what the change could mean in practice for licensed shooters, including the proposal to remove firearm caps for primary producers and competition shooters who can demonstrate a genuine need. We also examine the questions that remain unresolved: how the Liberal’s new “genuine and demonstrable need” proposal would actually work, what happens to the buyback during an inquiry, and whether the firearms registry, licensing system and intelligence-sharing arrangements need closer scrutiny. The bigger issue is whether this represents a broader change in the way firearms policy is being discussed — and whether governments are properly listening to the people with practical knowledge of shooting. Listen to the end for the parts of the policy that still need much more detail. #GunNewsAustralia  #NSWPolitics  #FirearmsPolicy  #LicensedShooters  #ShootingSports  #GunLaws  #FirearmsLicensing  #Australia

LABOR'S GUN CAP was defeated in Tasmania's House of Assembly by the narrowest possible margin: 16 votes to 15. But the argument has not disappeared. Labor's police spokesperson, Jen Butler, used the parliamentary debate to explain why Labor believes government should limit the number of firearms Tasmanians can own. In this episode, you will hear Butler's key statements in her own words. We examine what Labor means by “excessive accumulation” of firearms (ie more than 5), and whether the claimed connection between firearm numbers and public safety is supported by any form of evidence. The wider bill also affects citizenship requirements, firearm classifications, grandfathering and antique firearms. But the cap vote carries the clearest political warning for shooters: one member of Parliament changed the result so you MUST make sure you vote for your sport. Tasmanian shooters need to understand what was proposed, who supported it and what it means for voting at the next election. SUBSCRIBE to Gun News Australia, SHARE this episode with another shooter and SUPPORT the work through Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership) so we can keep examining the evidence governments would rather avoid. #Tasmania #FirearmCaps #GunNewsAustralia #LicensedShooters #FirearmLaw #JenButler #AustralianPolitics #ShootersFishersFarmers

AUSTRALIA WANTS Olympic shooting medals—but families and clubs are being left to finance the facilities athletes need to train on. In our latest episode, we speak with two-time Olympian Aislin Jones and her father and coach, Dave Jones, about Victoria’s abandoned 2026 Commonwealth Games plans and the shotgun facilities that never became the promised sporting legacy. Aislin explains the hours of travel and home simulation required to train for ISSF skeet. Dave outlines what Olympic trap infrastructure costs, why rural athletes are being left behind and why shooting families have had to invest in facilities that governments routinely provide for other sports. We also trace the history of Victoria’s proposed state shooting centre, the Shooting Sports Facilities Program, and the infrastructure Australia needs now if it is serious about developing athletes for Brisbane 2032. Support independent firearms-policy reporting and help Gun News Australia make more evidence-based episodes: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership #GunNewsAustralia #OlympicShooting #AislinJones #ShootingSports #CommonwealthGames #Brisbane2032 #TargetShooting #VictorianPolitics

ONLY ONE PARTY has put a detailed firearms policy in front of Australian shooters — but publishing promises and delivering outcomes are two very different things. In this episode, we speak with Brendan McCreanor, One Nation campaign organiser, about the party’s approach to licensed firearms owners and shooting sports. We examine proposals for longer licence periods, practical secure storage at approved clubs and ranges, removing rules that serve no clear public-safety purpose, and reviewing firearm categories and genuine-reason requirements with proper industry input. We also discuss stronger penalties for criminal misuse, illegal firearms trafficking, hunting policy, consultation with shooters, and what One Nation could realistically achieve if it holds influence after the next state election. The central test is simple: can a published policy become workable law rather than another political promise? Read the published policy: https://vic.onenation.org.au/firearms-hunting Support independent firearms journalism: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership #OneNationAustralia #FirearmsPolicy #LicensedShooters #NSWPolitics #VictorianElection #ShootingSportsAustralia #GunNewsAustralia #AustralianPolitics

THE NFA HAS JUST BEEN UPDATED — We look at how it affects you. The newly signed agreement post-Bondi contains no national firearm cap, allows licences of up to five years, preserves a limited exception for lawful non-citizens and introduces no new national restriction on junior participation. But the rules will not affect every shooter equally. NSW has already imposed a four-firearm default cap, generally cut licence terms to two years and reclassified several common action types, while Victoria has expanded police reclassification powers. The announced national firearms buyback is not contained in the agreement, several jurisdictions rejected or declined a national scheme, and the document provides no common implementation timetable. We examine what changed, what disappeared and what was left to the states and territories—and ask whether the National Firearms Agreement has already collapsed into a national firearms disagreement. Check out the updated NFA at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/criminal-justice/files/national-firearms-agreement.pdf Support our independent reporting and receive early access through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership

WHO ASKED SSAA? SSAA Victoria gave evidence about Commonwealth Games shooting facilities and the interests of the broader shooting sector—but nobody asked it to represent the shooting organisations who were responsible for the Commonwealth Games shooting events. IN THIS EPISODE, we examine what SSAA told the parliamentary inquiry, which organisations actually administer international rifle, pistol and clay-target shooting, and why those recognised bodies were not consulted when the Games were cancelled and shooting facilities were discussed. We also put two direct questions to SSAA Victoria. It did not answer either of them. It did not explain what authority it believed it had to speak for the broader sector, and it did not explain why Shooting Australia was not consulted. This matters because consultation only works when governments hear from the organisations responsible for the affected sports. In this case, SSAA assumed a mandate it was never given.  The result is that this stunt has now cost Victoria the opportunity to have international grade shooting facilities. If you value independent, evidence-based firearms-policy reporting, support Gun News Australia through Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/gunnewsaustralia/membership #GunNewsAustralia #SSAA #ShootingAustralia #TargetShooting #CommonwealthGames #VictorianPolitics #LicensedShooters #ShootingSports

THIS ISN’T FAIR COMPENSATION. NSW’s fixed-price schedule assigns $600 to a rimfire rifle—even though Sean Frazer says a competition rifle can cost many times that amount. In this follow-up interview, Gun News Australia speaks with competitive shooter Sean Frazer about the NSW gun buyback and what its published prices could mean in practice. The official schedule lists $600 for a rimfire rifle, $450 for an air rifle, $850 for a double-barrel shotgun and $1,000 for a centrefire rifle. Phase 2 applies to eligible firearms valued above $3,000, carries an unspecified fee and is capped at $10,000. Sean explains why competition firearms, modern air rifles and shotguns can cost several times the fixed payments—and why accessories may create another uncompensated loss. IN THIS EPISODE, we also examine the $1,000–$3,000 gap, licensing and permit delays raised in the interview, the announced firearm-industry assistance, and the scheme’s timing ahead of the 2027 NSW election. #GunNewsAustralia #NSWGunBuyback #LicensedShooters #FirearmsPolicy #NSWPolitics #ShootingSports #FirearmsLicensing #GunBuyback