Australia announces sweeping gun buyback program as surfers honor Bondi victims

Australia will launch a national gun buyback scheme following the mass shooting in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday, as hundreds of surfers and swimmers paddled out at Bondi Beach to honour victims.

SYDNEY — Australia will launch a national gun buyback scheme following the mass shooting in Sydney, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday, as hundreds of surfers and swimmers paddled out at Bondi Beach to honor victims.

The buyback would be similar to gun reforms introduced soon after the massacre in 1996 in Tasmania’s Port Arthur after a lone gunman killed 35 people, which prompted authorities to implement some of the world’s toughest gun laws.

“Australia‘s gun laws were last substantially reformed in the wake of the Port Arthur tragedy. The terrible events at Bondi show we need to get more guns off our streets,” Albanese said during a media briefing.

Fifteen people were killed and dozens wounded on Sunday in Bondi after two gunmen opened fire at people celebrating Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

A 50-year-old gunman, who was killed at the scene, held a firearm license and had six guns registered, drawing criticisms that Australia‘s gun laws needed an overhaul.