FROM today (July 1), people with unregistered firearms or firearm-related items will be able to anonymously surrender them to police stations across Australia without being penalised.

The Australian Government has partnered with Crime Stoppers Australia to launch a permanent national firearms amnesty allowing anyone in Australia to hand in unregistered or unwanted firearms that could otherwise fall into the wrong hands.

Labelling unregistered firearms a threat to the community, the federal Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Jason Wood said: “They are difficult to trace and can fall into the hands of criminals to commit terrible crimes while avoiding police detection. 

“An unwanted firearm can also be deadly. If not properly stored, there is always a risk that it could harm you or your loved ones.”

Licensed firearms dealers can also receive surrendered firearms in most states and territories. An unwanted firearm may also be handed in.

“If you have an unregistered firearm and you want to keep it, hand it in and see if you can register it. If you don’t want to keep your firearm, hand it in. Your community will thank you,” Mr Wood said. 

If a person does not surrender an unregistered firearm and is found in possession of it, they may face criminal penalties, including imprisonment, he said.  

The previous national firearms amnesty, which was held over a period of only three months in 2017, resulted in more than 57,000 firearms being handed in across Australia. 

More information here