Crisafulli dangles nation-leading gun reforms, rules out buyback

The Queensland government will announce its response to proposed federal gun reforms when parliament returns this week, after labelling the federal government’s proposal following the Bondi terrorist attack as “chaotic” and a “knee-jerk reaction”.

At a press conference to detail new legislation to combat antisemitism and terrorism on Sunday, Premier David Crisafulli said his government would “be taking action on guns against terrorists and criminals”, though he would not provide further details.

“If you’re asking me how many guns I believe someone like a person who would deliberately target someone based on their faith … should have, the answer is zero,” he said.

“And that’s what we’re going after – terrorists and crooks.”

Crisafulli promised to provide details of Queensland’s gun reforms on Monday afternoon, ahead of introducing legislation when parliament would reconvene on Tuesday.

He said the legislation would show how serious his government was about preventing terrorism and gun-related crime, but would not reflect the federal government’s “knee-jerk reaction”.

Following the Bondi terror attack on December 15, during which a father and son gunned down and killed 15 people and injured dozens more at a Jewish event, the Albanese government announced laws to establish a national gun buyback scheme and enforce rigorous background checks for gun owners.

Federal legislation to combat antisemitism, hate and extremism was also passed in January.

The Crisafulli government has consistently said it would not participate in the national buyback as it would not keep guns from terrorists and criminals.

“[The federal government’s response to the Bondi attack] was chaotic, it was a mess, and it didn’t instil confidence, it didn’t show leadership,” Crisafulli said.

“I said I would be tasking the first floor officer of this state and the police minister to get together and bring forward something that deals with the nut of the issue, and I can’t fault her response, and you’ll see how good this will be [on Monday].”

Queensland Police Minister Dan Purdie previously flagged that mental health checks, one of several calls by the Wieambilla inquest, could form part of the new legislation.

Laws announced by the Crisafulli government to combat antisemitism and terrorism on Sunday included tougher penalties on the use of symbols such as swastikas, Nazi emblems and the Hamas and Islamic State flags; tougher penalties for intimidation and wilful damage at places of worship; and the criminalisation of slogans such as “globalise the intifada” and “from the river to the sea”.

Queensland is the only state or territory to ban “from the river to the sea”, a chant popularised by the pro-Palestine movement amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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