The New South Wales Liberals have pledged to freeze the state's gun buyback program and eliminate ownership limits for farmers if they win next year's election. This reversal comes less than one year after the party voted with the government to support gun caps and a buyback following the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14, 2025. The proposed changes, the party states, hinge on a commission of inquiry's findings and "stakeholder feedback."
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley criticized the move as a "backflip." She noted the Liberals' previous support for "strong gun laws" after Bondi, now abandoned. Catley linked the Liberals and Nationals to One Nation, stating they are "following them down that road" towards "weaker gun laws." She warned that New South Wales "cannot afford a Coalition that lets One Nation write its policy on guns," citing community safety.
Opposition leader Kellie Sloane rejected the criticism, calling it "entirely offensive." She claimed the initial bipartisan support was "conditional on feedback from stakeholders" and a review of "unintended consequences." Sloane argued that "hundreds of millions of dollars" were spent "taking guns off of law abiding citizens," while the state failed to "recognise the real threat in our communities." An elected Liberals-Nationals government, she promised, would establish a commission of inquiry to target "terrorists," "organised crime," and "dangerous hands."
Who Benefits from Deregulation?
The Liberal pledge to scrap ownership limits and freeze buybacks directly benefits a segment of rural capital and property owners, framing their access to firearms as a priority. This shift aligns with the demands of right-wing political factions, including One Nation, whose growing support Premier Chris Minns has identified as Labor's "biggest threat." Minns told parliament earlier this week that if the government falls in March of next year, it's "likely to be a One Nation-led government."
The State's Expanding Grip
While the Liberals propose loosening gun restrictions for some, the Labor government is simultaneously moving to bolster the state's punitive apparatus. Sydney's south and south-west have experienced a surge in tit-for-tat violence linked to "underworld tensions" over the past 18 months, with "innocent parties falling victim." This social unrest has become "hot political fodder" six months before the state election. The state government this week introduced legislation to parliament aimed at "targeting criminal networks" and "bolstering police powers." These reforms would allow young people charged with certain organized crime offenses to be tried or sentenced as adults in higher courts, facing "tougher maximum penalties." This expansion of state power, particularly against marginalized youth, presents a unified front of repression, regardless of which party holds office.
Capital's Political Maneuvers
The Liberal party's policy reversal comes amidst internal and external pressures. An anonymous MP reportedly described the party as "sleepwalking to defeat," a claim Ms Sloane refused to address. The party's election campaign is overshadowed by a high-profile anti-corruption probe into a right-wing Liberal faction, with ICAC hearing from a senior parliamentary colleague this week. Further weakening the party, Liberal frontbencher James Griffin announced this month he wouldn't seek re-election for the seat of Manly, a Liberal stronghold for almost 20 years. These internal struggles and the need to contend with One Nation's rising influence appear to be driving the Liberals' strategic pivot on gun policy, seeking to consolidate a specific electoral base even at the cost of previous commitments.