New findings released today reveal alarming trends in firearm ownership across Australia, showing that the number of guns in private hands has grown significantly since the Port Arthur massacre, and regulation across states and territories is failing to keep pace with community expectations.
Key Findings:
- There are more guns in Australia than there were before the Port Arthur massacre.
- Firearms are not confined to rural areas, with a third of guns in New South Wales located in Sydney, Newcastle, and Wollongong.
- All states and territories are failing to meet key criteria for effective gun control, including data transparency and limits on the number of firearms a person can own.
- On average, a firearms licence holder owns more than 4 guns, with two individuals in suburban Sydney each owning over 300 firearms.
- Three-in-four Australians support limits on the number of firearms an individual can possess.
The report found gun ownership in Australia varies significantly across states. Western Australia is the only state with a cap on the number of firearms a licence holder can own, while New South Wales is the only state making comprehensive data on gun ownership publicly available. This inconsistency across the country has facilitated access to new weapons that are illegal in one place but not another.
The Australia Institute has created scorecards and rankings for each jurisdiction, evaluating their performance on key gun regulation measures such as limits on the number of firearms an individual can own and the availability of gun ownership data.
ACT performs the worst according to the criteria with NT and SA coming second last. VIC and TAS are in the middle and NSW and WA are in the lead. NSW has the best data transparency and WA has firearm limits.
"Australia has a reputation for good firearm regulation in the wake of Port Arthur, but with increases in ownership rates and a lack of consistency and transparency around the country, the policy settings are creating dangerous conditions for the public," said Dr Alice Grundy, Research Manager at the Australia Institute.
"Australia Institute polling is clear: Australians want strong regulations on firearm ownership."
"The significant growth in firearms in Australia is a result of the commercial interests of an industry and the recreational pursuit of a few," said Stephen Bendle, Convenor of the Australian Gun Safety Alliance.
"Many in this industry have forgotten the accepted principle that firearms are a privilege in Australia and not a right.
"The overwhelming majority of Australians expect that governments respect the views of the community and put their needs before those of people wanting firearms."
In response to findings, the report recommends urgent reform to strengthen gun regulations across all states and territories, with a focus on emerging issues such as 3D-printed firearms.
"We are a global leader but we cannot afford to be complacent," said Tim Quinn, President of Gun Control Australia.
"Australia's gun laws are not keeping up with weapons advancements which is putting our community at risk,".
"We must act before a tragedy forces our hand, as has happened too many times before."
A summary of firearm data and a full breakdown for each jurisdiction can be found in the full report, Gun Control in Australia.
