Victoria rejects firearm ownership caps despite review recommendation

The Victorian government will not introduce caps to the number of firearms a person can own, which was one of 16 recommendations made in a review into the state's gun laws following the Bondi terror attack.

The review, conducted by former police commissioner Ken Lay, handed its findings to the government in March. Those findings and the government's response were made public on Monday.

Among the 16 recommendations made, the review stated the government should introduce a cap of up to four firearms per licence holder.

"A nationally consistent approach supports consideration of firearm caps, while allowing Victoria to respond to its specific community safety, economic and environmental context," the report stated.

It stated that the average Victorian firearm holder owns four firearms and that many licence holders owned none.

The report added that licensed firearms users make up approximately 4 per cent of Victoria's population.

But Premier Jacinta Allan said the government would not implement the recommendation, saying it would not effectively target bad actors.

"Where we need to place our focus is on the criminals who get their hands on one single gun," Ms Allan said.

"The vast majority of firearm owners, the overwhelming majority are law abiding and I'm not necessarily convinced that caps is the way to go."

Australian states and territories have diverged on the topic of firearm limits, with New South Wales, ACT and Western Australia implementing caps while Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Victoria have not.

Police Minister Anthony Carbines said the government was introducing a range of "sensible" laws, but would not be conducting a state buyback of firearms.

"The government is not engaging in caps, and so the government won't be engaging in the buyback scheme as it sits currently through the Commonwealth," Mr Carbines said.

The Rapid Review of Victoria's Firearm Laws was commissioned by the government following a terrorist attack at Bondi Beach on December 14 last year, where 15 people were shot dead.

The review received more than 500 written submissions, and conducted 40 face-to-face consultations with stakeholders from across the sector, including victims of family violence, hunters, farmers, sporting shooters, and gun reform advocates.

Citizenship requirements for gun holders

As part of immediate legislative changes, the government would seek to introduce a citizenship requirement for gun holders.

This would limit the eligibility of licences to Australian citizens, or New Zealanders with permanent residency.

Amendments would be made to ensure non-adverse firearms background checks were a requirement for anyone holding a licence.

The government would also give Victoria Police enhanced powers to temporarily reclassify firearm categories, and increase the maximum penalties for people who acquire, possess, use or carry a firearm in contravention of the Firearm Prohibition Orders.

Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia chief executive James Walsh commended Ms Allan for rejecting the recommendation to implement firearm caps, saying it would not improve safety.

"Jacinta Allen is to be congratulated for looking at the evidence and realising that what is being proposed is nothing but scapegoating of licensed shooters by certain politicians," he said.

"Limits on firearms ownership to law-abiding people wouldn't have stopped [the Bondi terrorist attack] from happening, and I think that's what it comes down to.

"The cost of doing a buyback which could be, up to $700, $800 million in Victoria and the public safety benefit is just not there."

Mr Walsh questioned whether citizenship requirements would impact migrants working on farms.

"There are other issues where people come to Australia on visas or the like and they work on farms, they may need access to firearms as a result of their work," he said.

"I think having a blanket policy that says only New Zealand citizens or Australian citizens can have firearms needs to be properly consulted and looked at."

Not a 'commonsense' approach

Leader of the Victorian Greens Ellen Sandell said the government could have taken a "commonsense" approach to gun reforms, but had instead "capitulated to the gun lobby".

"Victorians are right to ask why anyone needs dozens or even hundreds of firearms and why Labor is letting them," she said.

"This was Labor's chance to show leadership on gun reform and community safety, but they blinked because they're more worried about upsetting powerful gun lobby groups in marginal seats ahead of this year's election than community safety."