Australia Launches Massive Gun Buyback After Sydney Attack

The Australian government announced a major national gun buyback program on Friday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the plan aims to remove hundreds of thousands of firearms from public circulation. This decision follows a deadly knife attack at a Sydney shopping center in April. While that attack did not involve a gun, it has renewed a national debate on public safety. The buyback will be voluntary. It will offer cash to citizens who turn in illegal or unwanted firearms. The goal is to reduce the total number of weapons in the community. Australia has a history of strict gun laws. Its last large-scale buyback was in 1996, after a mass shooting in Port Arthur. That event led to a major reform of national firearm regulations. Officials stated that the new program’s details, including its total cost and start date, are still being finalized.