Tasmania’s House of Assembly has approved the Firearms Amendment (Strengthening Firearms Security) Bill, marking the most substantial overhaul of the state’s gun laws in three decades. The bill passed the lower house on Thursday night, September 10, 2026, following extensive debate.
The legislative push comes nearly 30 years after the Port Arthur massacre in April 1996, which led to nationwide gun law reforms, and in the wake of the December 2025 Bondi shootings that reignited calls for tighter regulations across Australia.
A central point of contention during the parliamentary proceedings was a Labor amendment to introduce a cap on the number of firearms an individual could legally own. This amendment sought to limit licence holders to a maximum of 10 firearms overall, with a sub-limit of five for recreational hunting or vermin control.
Tasmania’s Police Commissioner, Donna Adams, had strongly urged the implementation of such caps, advocating for increased community safety. However, Commissioner Adams also acknowledged that Tasmania Police currently lacks a dataset to differentiate firearm offences committed by licensed owners versus unlicensed individuals, citing separate data systems.
In contrast, Police Minister Felix Ellis firmly opposed the proposed caps. He argued that the measure lacked an evidence base, would unfairly penalise law-abiding firearms owners, and would not effectively remove illegal guns from the streets. Minister Ellis stated that the government’s bill “gets the balance right” and represents the most comprehensive firearms community safety reform in 30 years without imposing caps on lawful owners. He also estimated that a buyback scheme for firearms, as suggested by some, could cost between $40 million and $90 million.
The Labor amendment to cap firearm ownership ultimately failed in the House of Assembly, with 16 votes against and 15 in favour. Labor leader Josh Willie urged members to support the caps, describing it as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to collaborate with the federal government on a buyback scheme. A letter from a Port Arthur survivor, urging support for caps, was also read during the debate.
The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association (TasFarmers) welcomed the defeat of the caps, asserting that arbitrary limits would not address criminal misuse or theft and would unduly restrict farmers who require multiple firearms for pest control and animal welfare.
Despite the rejection of ownership caps, the passed bill introduces several other significant reforms. These include new mandatory minimum sentences for the theft and possession of stolen firearms, and a 10-year exclusion from holding a firearm licence for individuals convicted of family violence offences. The legislation also supports the implementation of a National Firearms Register and includes provisions for reclassifying certain firearms and making Australian citizenship a licence requirement, though with grandfathering clauses for existing licence holders.
The bill will now proceed to the Legislative Council for further consideration later this year.
For a deeper dive into the complexities and divisions surrounding Tasmania’s gun law reforms, listeners can refer to the ABC TassieCast episode “Crunch time for Tasmania’s gun laws,” featuring Airlie Ward and reporter Jano Gibson.