NSW Right to Possess and Carry Firearms for Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents

Constitution Amendment (Right to Possess and Carry Firearms) Bill 2025

Private Member's Bill

4 Jun 2025: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

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Topics

firearms gun ownership weapon possession

Introduced by: John Ruddick MLC (LIBT)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Australian citizens and permanent residents living in the State have the right to possess and carry firearms.
The government cannot limit this right; only an Act of Parliament can do so.
Regulations under the Firearms Act 1996 cannot be used to limit this right; an Act of Parliament is required.
Existing laws and regulations under the Firearms Act 1996 remain in force.

News articles and press releases

Constitution Amendment (Right to Possess and Carry Firearms) Bill 2025

The Hon. JOHN RUDDICK — 2025-06-04

The bill seeks to enshrine in the Constitution of New South Wales the fundamental right to possess and carry firearms. This bill protects that right in much the same way this Parliament did in 2024 when it passed an amendment to the New South Wales Constitution to prohibit the sale of public water utilities to private operators. If this constitutional amendment passes, further efforts to infringe on the right to possess or carry firearms can only be by an Act of Parliament, meaning that future regulations set by the Minister or police would be unable to curtail the rights of citizens and residents to possess and carry firearms.