The NSW Minister for Police and Counterterrorism announced this week a $39M ‘uplift’ to the NSW Firearms Registry as part of a suite of changes intended to “strengthen oversight, reduce risk and reduce the number of guns in the community,” according to a government media release.  

The funding package includes an additional 22 positions at the registry to assist with a backlog of applications. The Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (SIFA) understands license applications across the state have skyrocketed, with categories such as Collector (category-G) rising by 7000% in a month, as license holders adapt to anticipated changes in legislation. 

Following the introduction of rushed reform, SIFA argued that a lack of consultation with the shooting industry and our stakeholders would lead to chaos at the registry, which was already described prior to the December Bondi terrorist attack as a “shambles” by the state’s own Police and Counterterrorism minister, Yasmin Catley.  

The NSW firearms registry faces a predictable and costly extended backlog of applications, variations, background checks and changes in license terms moving from 5 years to 2 – increasing workloads by more than 150%. The NSW government is now having to spend taxpayer funds to resolve the predictable outcome of their own policy failures.  

As the only jurisdiction supporting the buyback, NSW has also failed to announce any funding to support lawful firearms businesses transitioning to the new legislative reality. The debate continues, while lawful business continue to report losses of up to 80 per cent, questioning whether they can survive. 

Minister Catley was pressed in budget estimates in March by Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ MLC Mark Banasiak on the efficacy of the NSW firearms registry, particularly on the government’s lack of cooperation with licensed dealers across the country.  

Mr Banasiak asked what the government was planning to do on the” very serious impacts of this legislation on small businesses,” 

“You’re going to rely on these people potentially, to be doing your buyback. How will you do that when they’re not going to be there in 2-3 months?” he asked, 

Minister Catley replied, “work with them.”  

More than a month later, there has not been any meaningful consultation, or inclusion of licensed dealerships in a conversation about this legislation nor any avenue to consider the needs of lawfully operating businesses in the shooting industry.  

“These businesses are a critical part of the firearms safety framework and administration in this state.” Said James Walsh, CEO of SIFA. “It’s not just the registry doing the work.”  

“Local firearms dealerships conduct transfers, provide safety training, support compliance and connect shooters with responsible shooting and hunting groups. They provide critical oversight across their entire regulatory regime, yet bricks and mortar dealerships are all now at risk with no compensation or support from the Minns government.” 

SIFA argues that genuine industry consultation would have led to better policy outcomes, not just for the shooting industry, but for taxpayers whose public safety policies should be built on evidence rather than crisis responses.    

“We don’t want to be in a position where lives and livelihoods are at stake, and industry members are saying they could have made a meaningful contribution to better legislation.” Said Mr Walsh,  

“But the fact is, shooting industry members, clubs and participants in lawful activities have been left out of policymaking in this space for far too long, and now everyone is paying for it.”  

For further information please contact:  
James Walsh 
CEO 
Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia 
M: 0419 933 066 
E: james.walsh@sifa.net.au