The Australian state of New South Wales will implement a gun buyback program in November, the largest since 1996

(Central News Agency, Sydney, 16th, comprehensive foreign news reports) Australian Prime Minister Albanese said today that New South Wales (New South Wales) will start implementing a gun buyback program in November. The policy comes in response to the shooting deaths of 15 people at Sydney's Bondi Beach late last year.

The Anthony Albanese government passed relevant bills in January this year. In addition to launching a gun buyback system, it also strengthened gun license qualification examinations and expanded the crackdown on hate crimes.

It is believed that the powerful firearms possessed by the Bondi shooter were purchased legally. According to government data last year, there are currently 4.1 million legal guns in Australia, of which more than 1.1 million are concentrated in New South Wales, Australia's most populous state.

This gun buyback will be the largest since 1996. After a major shooting in Port Arthur, Tasmania, killed 35 people, Australia immediately launched a gun control and buyback program.

Albanese and New South Wales Governor Chris Minns said in a joint statement that the program will begin on November 2. People who return rifles and pistols will receive compensation of up to 1,000 Australian dollars (approximately NT$22,659) for each gun.

Albanese said in a televised talk: "Australians are very proud of our gun laws, but the fact is that the number of guns in Australia today is greater than when the Port Arthur gun buyback was launched."