Firearms Policy: What the Parties Are Really Saying Ahead of November 2026
Firearms policy is shaping up as one of those issues where what politicians say and what they actually plan to do can be two very different things. With the Victorian election set for November 28, 2026, it’s time to cut through the noise and work out where each party actually stands on gun laws.
Whether you’re in Pakenham dealing with the urban sprawl, up in the hills around Mornington, or out in regional Eastern Victoria from Bairnsdale to Traralgon, this issue matters. From farmers needing firearms for pest control to sports shooters at your local club, gun laws touch more Victorians than you might think.
The Current Situation: What’s Actually Happening
Victoria has committed at National Cabinet to strengthen gun laws and develop options to limit open-ended firearms licensing, with former Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay appointed to review the state’s current laws and consult with Victoria Police and community groups. This comes after the devastating anti-Semitic terrorist attack at Bondi Beach in December 2025 that killed 15 people.
Here’s the thing though. Victoria has around 960,000 registered firearms with no cap on how many guns a person can own, and there are over four million registered firearms nationwide, which is 25% more than in 1996 after the Port Arthur massacre. So despite decades of tightening gun laws, there are actually more firearms in Australia now than ever before.
The debate isn’t really about whether we need gun laws. Everyone agrees on that. The question is whether more restrictions on law-abiding gun owners will actually make us safer, or whether we should focus on illegal firearms and the criminals who use them.
Labor: Tightening the Screws (Again)
The Allan Labor Government is reviewing gun laws following recent incidents and has made national commitments to stronger laws with a crackdown on illegal firearms. They’re talking about limiting open-ended firearms licences and using criminal intelligence to underpin firearms licensing decisions.
What this means in practice: expect more paperwork, more restrictions, and quite possibly limits on how many firearms you can own. The Ken Lay review will report back, and you can bet Labor will use it to justify whatever they were planning to do anyway.
For regional areas like Gippsland and the Eastern Victoria electorate, this could mean real headaches for farmers who need multiple firearms for different purposes, from fox shooting to cattle management. Sport shooters in Pakenham or Mornington Peninsula could find themselves jumping through even more hoops than they already do.
Liberal and National Parties: Crime Focus, Light on Detail
The Liberal-National Coalition, now led by Jess Wilson after recent leadership changes, has focused heavily on crime but been surprisingly quiet on specific firearms policy. Former Liberal leader Brad Battin committed to introducing Jack’s Law if the Coalition wins, which would allow random weapons searches by police at any time in all public locations.
That’s about knives and machetes though, not firearms. On actual gun policy, the Coalition has aligned with a general safer communities approach but hasn’t released detailed firearms policy. They’re walking a tightrope: regional voters and farmers don’t want heavy-handed gun control, but suburban voters in places like Berwick want action on crime.
The Nationals, particularly strong in Eastern Victoria’s regional areas, generally support responsible gun ownership without further restrictions. They understand that in places like Bairnsdale or Orbost, firearms are tools, not weapons.
The Greens: Urgent Comprehensive Reform
The Greens aren’t mucking about. They’re calling for strict limits on firearm numbers, bans on rapid-fire and high-powered weapons, time-limited licences with repeated character and family violence checks, mandatory reporting of lost or stolen guns, and a buyback to remove excess firearms.
For anyone in Eastern Victoria who owns firearms, whether for sport, farming, or collecting, the Greens represent the most restrictive approach. They want Victoria to back calls for urgent and comprehensive gun reform to enhance community safety following the Bondi attack.
One Nation: Standing Up for Law-Abiding Owners
One Nation has the most detailed firearms policy of any party, and it’s worth paying attention to because it’s the clearest alternative to more restrictions. According to their official policy, One Nation strongly supports the right to own and use firearms lawfully and responsibly and considers the National Firearms Agreement to be deeply flawed in that it places unnecessary and draconian restrictions on law-abiding people.
Their specific commitments include standardising all firearms licences to 10 years before requiring renewal, including Category H weapons, supporting realistic interpretations of genuine reasons for accessing Category C, D and H firearms, and opposing the requirement for genuine antique firearms to be registered.
But here’s where One Nation differs from just being pro-gun: they’re supporting legislation that increases penalties for crimes in which a firearm has been brandished or used, and supporting stronger border controls and tougher penalties for illegal weapons trafficking.
This approach recognises that the bloke with a firearms licence in Warragul who’s had background checks and follows all the rules isn’t the problem. The problem is criminals with illegal guns coming across our borders or stolen firearms on the black market.
What’s Missing: The Elephant in the Room
Here’s what nobody wants to talk about properly: more than 2,000 guns are stolen every year in Australia, which is one every four hours, and theft is the greatest single source of firearms hitting the black market.
We could harmonise state and federal registries, which would actually help. We could increase public education on firearms safety. We could focus on mental health screenings for licence applicants. These are practical measures that might actually make a difference.
Instead, we get political theater. Labor wants to look tough on guns to please inner-city voters. The Liberals don’t want to upset either farmers or suburbanites. The Greens want to ban everything. And One Nation is the only one willing to say that maybe, just maybe, we should go after criminals instead of people who’ve jumped through every legal hoop.
What This Means for Eastern Victoria
If you’re in the Eastern Victoria electorate, from Pakenham through to Bairnsdale, Traralgon, or the Mornington Peninsula, this matters more than you might think. The Eastern Victoria Region is currently represented in the Legislative Council by Jeff Bourman from the Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers Party, showing there’s genuine support for sensible firearms policy.
Regional Victoria has different needs to inner Melbourne. A farmer in Gippsland managing livestock and pests needs access to appropriate firearms. Sports shooters contribute to local communities through clubs and competitions. Collectors preserve historical firearms that have cultural and educational value.
The question for November 2026 is simple: do you want politicians who understand these realities, or politicians who think one-size-fits-all gun control from Spring Street will solve problems that are really about border security and criminal justice?
Need to Know: Firearms Licensing in Victoria
If you’re navigating Victoria’s firearms regulations, here’s what you need to know right now:
Getting licensed: You need to apply through Victoria Police, complete a firearms safety course, provide a genuine reason for ownership, and pass background checks. The process isn’t quick, and it’s only getting more complicated.
Renewing your licence: You can renew your firearms licence through Victoria Police. Current renewal periods vary by licence category, but expect this to be a political football after the election.
Understanding the law: The Firearms Act Victoria sets out what’s legal and what’s not. If you’re considering a Category H firearms licence, be aware the requirements are strict and Labor’s review could make them stricter.
Registry: The firearms registry Victoria tracks all registered firearms, though coordination between state and federal systems could definitely be improved.
Join the Dots: Connecting Policy to Reality
The firearms policy debate is really about trust. Do politicians trust law-abiding Victorians to own firearms responsibly? Do they trust that tighter controls on legal owners will actually reduce crime? Or are they just doing what plays well in inner-city focus groups while ignoring what works in the real world?
For Eastern Victoria and regional areas across the state, this election is a chance to make your voice heard. Whether you own firearms or not, the question of how we balance public safety with individual rights matters to all of us.
The Ken Lay review will report in early 2026. NSW has already passed controversial new gun laws limiting ownership numbers. Victoria is likely to follow suit under Labor. The Coalition might slow it down but probably won’t stop it. The Greens would accelerate it. And One Nation would reverse course entirely.
Your vote in November 2026 will help decide which direction we take. Make it count.
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