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In a statement issued on Monday the Nationals confirmed they will move this week to reverse the Albanese Government’s firearms laws in Federal Parliament.

Nationals Leader Senator Matt Canavan and the party’s Senate Leader, Bridget McKenzie, said the Bill would reverse federal laws that were rushed through the Federal Parliament in January in response to the Bondi Islamic terrorist attack.

The legislation would also abolish Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s National Gun Buyback Scheme.

The Firearms Legislation Amendment (Repealing Unfair Gun Laws) Bill 2026 restores Commonwealth firearms and importation law to its position before the passage of Labor’s Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Act 2026.

The Bill has been formerly tabled in the Senate and is expected to go before the House of Representatives this week.

Senator Canavan said law-abiding firearm owners were farmers, collectors, target shooters, and volunteers in the community to keep feral pests under control.

“This was a kneejerk and unnecessary piece of legislation that was never properly consulted on,” Senator Canavan said.

“The Nationals will always support our law-abiding firearms owners, who need firearms to manage their farms and grow our food and fibre. They should never have been unfairly targeted and Labor’s blame game of law-abiding firearms owners is a disgrace.”

Senator McKenzie has written to all cross-bench Senators, seeking their support for her Private Member’s Bill.

“This Nationals Bill is about fairness and justice,” Senator McKenzie said.

“In January, almost one million law-abiding Australians were blamed for a crime they did not commit and that was wrong.

“The Bondi massacre was an act of Islamic terrorism. It was not the work of licensed firearm owners, and no evidence has ever been produced connecting them to it.”

Senator McKenzie said the Interim Report of the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion had confirmed that no agency identified any gap in the pre-existing legal framework that impeded the prevention of, or response to, the Bondi attack.

“The Royal Commission’s interim finding demolishes the entire premise of Labor’s legislation.

“The perpetrators should never have had access to a firearm under the laws that already existed. How they obtained one is a question for the Royal Commission, not an excuse to punish farmers, sporting shooters and hunters who follow the rules.”

The Federal Government’s buyback scheme remains stalled, with Queensland, the Northern Territory and Victoria declining to participate; while Tasmania is pursuing their own arrangements and South Australia is refusing to change its laws.

Only New South Wales and the ACT have committed to the buyback.

“While the Government’s buyback goes nowhere, law-abiding firearms businesses are being destroyed by Labor’s laws,” Senator McKenzie said.

“Dealers are carrying the losses as a result of new state and federal laws. Many of these are small family businesses that have served their communities for generations.

“We have tabled a petition with more than 71,000 signatures which shows just how strong the feelings of firearm owners are.”

There will be no change to the prohibition of hate symbols and background checks, which operationally remain at the discretion of the states.

Source: Nationals