Firearms Legislation Amendment (Reforms Repeal) Bill 2026
Private Member's Bill
5 Aug 2026:
MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.
Effects of this bill
If this bill passes, it means that:
People can apply to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal to review decisions about firearms licences, permits, and registrations. This includes reviews of refused licences, imposed conditions, and cancelled registrations. However, people cannot review a firearms prohibition order if they would still be disqualified from holding a licence regardless of that order (unless they are under 18).
The Civil and Administrative Tribunal must not disclose criminal intelligence reports in its reasons for a decision. To protect this information, the Tribunal can hear evidence or arguments in private, without the public, the applicant, or their representative present.
The Firearms Commissioner must refuse to issue a permit unless the applicant verifies their identity through an approved identity verification service or another process the Commissioner decides. This does not apply to people who already hold a firearms licence or permit.
Firearms licences will last for 5 years instead of 2. Depending on the licence category, applicants can choose a term of 12 months, 2 years, or 5 years.
The Firearms Commissioner must be satisfied that a person has a good reason for acquiring a firearm before issuing a permit.
The bill removes several uncommenced rules and transitional arrangements from previous laws relating to terrorism and firearms.
Firearms Legislation Amendment (Reforms Repeal) Bill 2026
The Hon. MARK BANASIAK — 2026-08-05
It addresses only those firearms amendments that were inserted into the 2025 Act without adequate evidence that they would have prevented the tragedy used to justify them. It restores five-year licence terms. It restores independent merits review through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal [NCAT]. It repeals firearms provisions that have not yet commenced, and it reverses amendments that have already commenced. It removes unnecessary restrictions imposed upon law-abiding firearms owners without any demonstrated public safety benefit.