Gun owners can return weapons at six NSW police stations but bookings are full - ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Only NSW and the ACT have agreed to join the national gun buyback scheme. (ABC: Chris Lewis)

From today, some licensed gun owners in New South Wales will walk into police stations and hand in firearms in exchange for money.

It is part of the national gun buyback scheme that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced in the days after the Bondi terrorist attack.

So far, only NSW and the ACT have agreed to join the buyback. Western Australia conducted its own in 2024.

The biggest gun buyback in 30 years begins in NSW today. (Supplied: NSW government)

The Minns and Albanese governments argue that having fewer firearms in the community will reduce the chances of them being misused or falling into the wrong hands.

"Fewer guns in circulation in our community makes for a safer community," NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley said.

Yasmin Catley says having fewer guns makes for a safer community. (ABC News: Nick Dole)

Opponents say the government is unfairly targeting law-abiding gun owners.

Fourth-generation Wagga Wagga farmer Alan Brown said the buyback, which goes for 12 months, was a knee-jerk response.

"What we needed was a carefully thought through program and a buyback is just not part of that," he said.

"We have feral pests on this place and they're getting worse.

"So we absolutely need weapons … to keep the feral pests under control."

Alan Brown says weapons are needed to keep feral pests under control in regional NSW. (ABC News: Lauren Pezet)

One of the biggest factors driving demand in the buyback scheme will be the caps on the number of firearms an individual can own.

Recreational hunters will be limited to four.

Sporting shooters, farmers, vertebrate pest controllers and other professionals will be limited to 10.

The scheme caps the number of firearms an individual can own. (Supplied: NSW government)

However, while these caps already apply to people seeking to acquire new weapons, they have not been formalised for existing gun owners.

They are not required to hand in any firearms yet, because the government is still finalising the regulations, including potential exemptions.

No exemptions are being planned for recreational hunters. They will still be limited to four firearms.

However, the government is proposing a mechanism by which some gun owners can keep more than 10 firearms, with the police commissioner's permission.

While the government has not released the precise criteria, the police minister offered two examples last week.

One was a farmer, who might keep a few guns on multiple properties.

Another was an elite-level sporting shooter, who may require multiple firearms for different events.

NSW Farmers Association president Rebecca Reardon said there were many reasons a farmer might need more than 10 firearms.

Rebecca Reardon says it is essential to have the "firearm that is able to do the right job". (ABC News: Monish Nand)

"Whether you're having to shoot from near far, whether it's a small animal, large animal, whether it's moving, whether you're shooting from a helicopter or on the ground, different firearms perform different functions," she said.

"[It is] essential therefore that we have the firearm that is able to do the right job."

Registered firearm owners who want to participate need to book an appointment via the NSW Police Gun Safe website.

Currently, only six police stations are accepting bookings: Dubbo, Griffith, Grafton, Penrith, Sutherland and Narellan.

Ms Catley said all the available bookings had been filled.

"Every appointment is full, so there obviously is quite an interest for people to surrender their guns," she said.

Grafton Police Station is one of six where gun owners can book an appointment to return their weapons. (ABC News: Cath Adams)

In early December, an additional 34 police stations will start accepting bookings.

Under phase one of the scheme, gun owners could receive between $450 and $1,000 depending on the type of firearm they surrender.

Up to $10,000 will be on offer for higher-value guns under phase two next year, but the details are yet to be worked out.

Mr Brown said the amount on offer was "a joke" compared to what most guns were worth.

"[People will] surrender old rubbish, but they certainly won't surrender good weapons," he said.

After backing the premier's calls for tighter gun controls following the Bondi terrorist attack, the state opposition has since hardened its stance on the buyback.

Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane declared it was "absolute bullshit" to suggest buyback would prevent another Bondi-style attack.

And she said if gun owners did not want to surrender their firearms, they shouldn't.

"Hold onto your guns if you don't want to give them away," Ms Sloane said last month.

"It's not compulsory for them to hand them back at the moment."

The Coalition is vowing to scrap the caps for farmers and sporting shooters, if elected.

"The real enemy on our streets at the moment are organised criminals and terrorists," Ms Sloane said.

One Nation's NSW leader Mike Newman has also promised to abolish the caps and has vowed to scrap the gun buyback altogether.