Arabic version: ليبراليو نيو ساوث ويلز يتعهدون بتغييرات في سياسة الأسلحة النارية

According to ABC News, the New South Wales Liberals have pledged to freeze the state’s gun buyback and remove ownership limits for farmers if elected at next year’s state election. The party had voted with the government last year to support gun ownership caps and a buyback scheme.

The proposed changes would depend on the findings of a commission of inquiry into firearms legislation and stakeholder feedback. NSW was the first state to sign up to the national gun buyback promised after the Bondi Beach terror attack on December 14, 2025.

NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley called the Liberals’ position a backflip, saying the party had backed strong gun laws after Bondi before walking away from that decision. She also said the safety of the community was too important for a Coalition that let One Nation write its gun policy.

Opposition leader Kellie Sloane rejected the criticism, saying the Liberals’ bipartisan support after the attack was conditional on stakeholder feedback and reassessment if unintended consequences emerged. She said an elected Liberals-Nationals government would establish an inquiry to ensure gun reform targeted terrorists, organised crime and dangerous hands.

The policy debate has become a major election issue six months before the NSW poll. The state government has introduced legislation targeting criminal networks and expanding police powers to disrupt underworld groups, while the Liberals face an uphill campaign and growing support for One Nation.