Changes to QLD Weapons Laws
The Queensland Government has introduced the Fighting Antisemitism and Keeping Guns out of the Hands of Terrorists and Criminals Amendment Bill 2026. It was introduced to Parliament on 10 February 2026 and immediately referred to the Justice, Integrity and Community Safety Committee. Submissions close on 17 February, with the committee required to report back by 27 February. The previous article examined the impact on freedom of speech. This article turns to the Bill’s impact on firearms legislation.
The stated purpose is to keep weapons out of the hands of terrorists and criminals. On that front, many of the reforms are difficult to oppose. After the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, all Australian jurisdictions adopted significantly tighter firearms controls compared with many other countries. Those reforms introduced licensing requirements, genuine reason tests for ownership, safe storage obligations, and prohibitions on certain categories of weapons. Queensland’s framework operates within this national context through the Weapons Act 1990.
This Bill tightens weapons offences in several key ways:
- Increased Penalties
- Stealing a firearm
- Reckless discharge toward a building or vehicle
- Weapons trafficking
- 3D-Printed Firearms
- Possession or distribution of blueprint material for manufacturing firearms — including digital files
- Preparatory Offences
- Criminalising acts done in preparation for conduct likely to cause death or grievous bodily harm
- Firearm Prohibition Orders
- The Police Commissioner becomes the sole authority to issue orders
- Courts are removed from issuing them
In the context of the existing Weapons Act 1990, these amendments broadly align with the objective of strengthening penalties for serious weapons offences and responding to emerging technological risks such as 3D-printed firearms. They target conduct and focus on preventing harm before it occurs.
However, the State Government’s decision not to participate in the National Weapons Buyback Scheme is difficult to reconcile with the stated commitment to reducing crimes involving firearms. The buyback scheme is a federal initiative designed to purchase privately owned firearms and permanently remove them from circulation. It requires cooperation from state governments to operate effectively.
On that basis, there is currently no indication that the overall number of firearms in Queensland will be reduced. The rationale behind buyback schemes is straightforward: reducing the total number of guns in circulation lowers the statistical risk of misuse, diversion, or theft. It is a preventative measure aimed at long-term risk reduction rather than reactive enforcement.
The decision not to participate also weakens the national consensus approach that has existed since the Port Arthur reforms in 1996. For three decades, firearms policy in Australia has largely been characterised by coordinated state and federal action. Departing from that cooperative framework raises legitimate policy questions about consistency and commitment.
The firearms provisions of this Bill may strike a reasonable balance within the existing legislative framework. But if the objective is genuinely to reduce the risk of gun violence, enforcement alone is not the only tool available. Participation in national reduction strategies forms part of that broader conversation.