The Australian Capital Territory has secured a deal with the federal government to fund the majority of its gun buyback scheme, following a round of negotiations between the two levels of government. The arrangement was confirmed in reporting by ABC News & Headlines – Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Friday, 21 August 2026.
Under the agreement, the Commonwealth will shoulder most of the financial burden for the ACT's participation in the national buyback program. The move follows the ACT government's decision to formally sign up for the scheme, a step that was also reported by The Australian and The Canberra Times, with the latter quoting officials as saying the goal is to "take guns off our streets."
The funding split was not disclosed in the available reporting, but the ABC's coverage indicates the federal contribution will be the larger share. The ACT's entry into the national program marks a notable shift, as the territory had previously been one of the holdouts on the buyback initiative.
The scheme is part of a broader national effort to reduce the number of firearms in circulation, a policy area that has drawn scrutiny in recent weeks. A separate report from SMH.com.au noted that one state premier told a parliamentary committee he had "done his own research" on gun buybacks, suggesting the policy remains a topic of debate among Australian leaders.
For the ACT, the funding agreement removes a key obstacle to participation, allowing the territory to move forward with the buyback. The next step will be the rollout of the scheme in the ACT, with details on timing and eligible firearms expected to be announced in the coming weeks, according to the ABC's report.
