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Global NewsJUN 20
Australia Launches Gun Buyback After Bondi Beach Attack
Are gun buybacks wasteful and ineffective, or vital community engagement tools that need better evaluation?
Above: A bullet hole is seen through a car near Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 19, 2025. Image credit: Audrey Richardson/Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Gun buybacks serve crucial purposes beyond immediate crime reduction statistics. They engage communities, educate the public about gun safety and work effectively when part of broader violence prevention strategies. The lack of standardized scientific data doesn't prove ineffectiveness but calls for better evaluation.
Right narrative
Gun buyback programs waste taxpayer money and fail to reduce crime. Studies show no evidence that these programs deter gun violence, and some research even finds gun crimes increase after buybacks. Cities would be better off investing in proven strategies like focused deterrence instead of ineffective feel-good policies.
Narrative C
Australia's 1996 mandatory buyback succeeded because it wasn't merely symbolic — it accompanied decisive federal legislation banning automatic and semi-automatic weapons. Collection events mean nothing without the law. Real change demands bold legislation, not just tables piled with surrendered guns.