FIREARMS AMENDMENT BILL
Serial 61
5 May 2026 • Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
View on Parliament WebsiteMrs FINOCCHIARO (Police): Mr Deputy Speaker, I move that the Bill now be read a second time and that I make my contribution to the second reading.
I would like to address the recommendations of the scrutiny committee, and I thank the scrutiny committee for their work and for recommending that the Bill be passed without amendment. I also note the Recommendations 2, 3 and 4 seek further information. These Recommendations request amendments to the Explanatory Memorandum, which is already being tabled in parliament. Instead, I will address the matters that the committee has raised here by way of explanation.
In relation to Recommendation 2, concerning the timely processing of licensing, applications and renewals, the Bills sets clear parameters for how long a licence may remain in force beyond its expiry, where a renewal application has been lodged. A licence will cease to be in force if it is revoked, or once an application is granted or refused. Consideration was given to establishing a statutory processing timeframe, however, processing times vary depending on application volumes and operational factors. For this reason, a fixed statutory timeframe is not considered appropriate.
In relation to Recommendation 3, which seeks a general outline of the Bill, I will deal with that in a moment.
In relation to Recommendation 4, concerning changes to the penalty provisions in section 68, these amendments are necessary. At present, there is no clear prohibition on destroying a firearm or rendering it inoperable. The Bill addresses this by making it an offence to alter a firearm in a way that destroys it or renders it inoperable, unless authorised to do so. The increase in penalty reflects the seriousness of the offence, it also brings the Territory into line with other Australian jurisdictions.
In respect to Recommendation 3, first the Bill extends the maximum duration of firearm, corporate and employee licences for up to 10 years or a shorter period where appropriate. This provides greater certainty for legitimate operators, reduces unnecessary administrative burden and allows businesses to focus on their day-to-day operations, whilst maintaining appropriate oversight. This reform implements a recommendation of the approvals fast-tracked taskforce and responds directly to feedback from industry. The task force comprises of industry experts from across the Territory engaged extensively with peak bodies, businesses and senior representatives to identify practical reforms that support economic activity, including for small businesses across construction, hospitality, agriculture and aquaculture.
It found that current renewal settings create unnecessary delays and avoidable administrative touchpoints, particularly in agriculture and aquaculture; extending licence durations addresses these issues. This reform also aligns with the government’s broader work to modernise systems, including the National Firearms Register. More importantly, the Bill also ensures continuity by allowing a licence to remain in force while a renewal application is being considered, provided it is lodged before expiry. This is a practical change that allows lawful activities to continue without unnecessary interruption.
To support this, the Northern Territory Firearms Policy and Recording Unit will provide licence holders with confirmation once an application for the same licence type has been lodged, which will serve as proof of currency until a decision is made. The Bill strengthens the powers of the Commissioner by enabling licence and permit conditions to be varied, revoked or added during the life of a licence. This ensures conditions remain current and appropriate and allows police to respond to risks as they emerge. These powers will be exercised on a case-by-case basis having regard to the individual circumstances of each licence or permit holder.
They may be used following a compliance check in response to intelligence or complaint, or where there are concerns about a persons continued suitability to hold a licence. They may also address specific issues such as storage arrangements or relevant medical considerations. More importantly, these decisions will be subject to appropriate safeguards.
Decisions to vary, revoke or impose conditions will be reviewable by the NTCAT, consistent with existing processes under the Act. This ensures licence and permit holders are afforded natural justice through an established and transparent avenue of administrative review.. Further reforms strengthen governance arrangements, including changes to the Firearms Advisory Council. The council will operate under an independent chairperson and report directly to the minister. A key function of the council is to review the
operations of the Firearms Act and provide advice and recommendations. These amendments respond to feedback of the current structure to better reflect a broader range of perspectives and strengthen transparency.
At present recommendations are provided through the chairperson by the commissioner before being considered by the minister. These changes streamline that process, enable more direct reporting and reinforce the independence of the council. They also expand the council’s composition and governance setting supporting more balance, input and strengthening confidence in the advice that informs decision making.
The Bill also introduces new offences to address emerging risk and close the gaps in current framework. These relate to the destruction of firearms, the possession of digital blueprints used to manufacture firearms or firearm components. They reflect developments in technology and align the Territory with other jurisdictions responding to the growing risk of elicit firearm manufacture. There has been some community interest in how these provisions will operate in practice. Let me be clear, these offences are targeted. They are designed to capture the intentional possession, creation or distribution of digital blueprints that can be used to manufacture firearms or firearm components using technology such as 3D printers or electronic milling machines.
They are not intended to capture ordinary or incidental material such as manuals, historical documents or general imagery that cannot be used for that purpose. The offence requires intent. A person must knowingly possess or deal with a digital blueprint for the purpose of manufacture. There are also clear and appropriate exemptions including for law enforcement purposes, the use in legal proceedings, or where a person is authorised under a licence or permit to manufacture a firearm or component. These provisions are proportionate and enforceable, and they respond to a real and emerging risk. The Bill strengthens record keeping and accountability requirements. It introduces a requirement for licence, permit and registration holders to notify the Commissioner where a firearm has been destroyed, rendered inoperable, disposed of, damaged or defaced. This ensures records remain accurate and up to date supporting compliance, enforcement and the safe management of firearms across the Territory.
The Bill also amends existing offence provisions including strengthening penalties for altering firearms to bring them inline with other Australian jurisdictions. In addition, the Bill provides for the temporary recognition of interstate firearm licences. This allows visitors to lawfully possess, use and purchase ammunition while in the Territory for approved activities. This Bill’s existing arrangements and ensures visiting licence holders can participate in firearms-related activities such as sporting events safely and lawfully while in the Territory. These reforms support legitimate participation in firearms-related tourism and events which form part of the Territory lifestyle and contribute to the economy.
Taken together, these reforms modernise the Act and improve how it operates in practice. They reduce unnecessary red tape, provide greater detail, clarity and certainty and ensure the system is responsive to both operational needs and emerging risk. At the same time they strengthen the regulation and management of firearms, supporting police, reinforcing safeguards and reducing the risk of firearms being diverted into the black market or falling into the hands of organised crime.
This is about getting the balance right, supporting responsible firearm ownership, recognising its place in the Territory lifestyle and economy while backing police to keep the community safe. This Bill is another step in delivering a safer stronger and growing Northern Territory.
Ms UIBO (Opposition Leader): Mr Deputy Speaker, guns have a legitimate and enduring place in the Northern Territory. They are an essential tool for primary producers managing land and pests. Our rangers use them to manage feral animals that pose environmental and community risks. They are used by Aboriginal Territorians for hunting on traditional lands, and of course, we have many avid sporting and recreational shooters across the Territory who enjoy getting out on the weekend to hunt magpie geese or feral pigs or spend time at the firing range.
Our Territory Labor opposition supports the right of Territorians to access and responsibly use firearms for lawful purposes, but that right must be balanced with a clear priority—community safety. That means a regulatory system that is robust, actively maintained, responsive to change, continuously improved and to match community sentiment.
This Bill makes some sensible and necessary updates. However, it is yet another example of the CLP government tinkering around the edges and reacting to issues rather than tackling meaningful reform that would make a difference to Territorians’ lives.
Our team largely supports the changes proposed, particularly measures addressing the emerging threat of 3D-printed firearms, also known as 'ghost guns'. As with most things that we have seen in this House under the CLP government, these amendments are piecemeal, minor and lacking any real vision of what the future of the Territory will look like.
The minister had an opportunity ahead of the National Firearms Register coming in, in the wake of the horrific Bondi massacre, to step back and consider whether our gun laws needed a more comprehensive review. That is something both the shooting industry and gun control advocates have called for. They may not all agree on all aspects of gun control, but they share the view that our laws are beyond their used-by date and in the Territory do not meet current community needs or expectations when it comes to firearms management.
For example, the maximum penalty for the unlawful possession of a firearm in the Territory is around one to two years. This is significantly lower than other jurisdictions where maximum penalties are up to 13, 14 and even 20 years. Surely it is time to look at that and make sure we are not out of step with the rest of the country.
Again, the CLP chooses to tinker around the edges rather than do any heavy lifting when it comes to legislative reform. The community is left with more questions than answers because the CLP refuses to engage meaningfully when it comes to consultation. Meanwhile, our hardworking public servants are forced to operationalise these changes in short time frames and under great pressure. As usual, the CLP government is more interested in looking like it is doing something, rather than actually doing it well and with real purpose or a real plan.
I acknowledge all of the work and effort that has gone into pulling this Bill together, particularly by NT Police, and for the briefing they provided me and my team last week. They were incredibly informative and helpful, given they were only allowed 20 minutes of briefing time permitted by the CLP government. We are reduced now from half-an-hour or sometimes one hour, depending on how complex legislation is, to a mere 20 minutes fly-by briefing.
So everyone knows, we do our homework but sometimes we have reduced time to have access to ask those important questions about legislation by the CLP government. There are important questions about this Bill that have not been fully addressed or ventilated, we believe, because the CLP has not allowed any genuine time for scrutiny of any of its Bills.
Expecting Territorians and industry stakeholders to put in submissions in the space of a few weeks, and then holding short public briefings rather than actual hearings with scrutiny is not, according to any definition, a scrutiny process. Scrutiny literally means ‘the careful, critical and detailed examination or investigation of something’. Have a think about that. Consultation is about sharing information, views and informed advice to make better decisions on behalf of the community, particularly when it comes to making or amending laws in the Northern Territory.
The constant habit of the CLP government is it continues to wilfully avoid both. The CLP continues to shut Territorians out of their decision-making processes and shows contempt for people with expertise and lived experience. Avoiding scrutiny and consultation ultimately weakens and undermines confidence in our systems and laws—and Territorians pay the price.
Turning to the Bill, the extension of licence periods for corporate and employee licences is a practical measure to reduce administrative burden and we support that intent. However, reducing administrative checks inevitably introduces additional risk. That risk must be matched by stronger compliance and monitoring. This Bill does not outline how that will occur. There are no guidelines about the frequency of compliance checks, what those checks look like and how red flags are raised and notified in the system.
I am sure the Police minister agrees that community safety must always be paramount in any gun regime. In fact, I have heard her say that. However, what it looks like in practical terms, particularly in relation to this licence extension, we do not know because we have not been given the detail.
Has this change gone through a risk assessment to give the community assurance that it has been considered? If community safety is the priority, safeguards must be explicit, not assumed. I hope the Chief Minister can give answers to these questions in her wrap-up speech.
This brings me to a broader issue about firearms data and how well it is being captured, stored and made publicly available. I understand that NT Police has been doing a significant amount of work to improve the accuracy of firearms data ahead of the rollout of the National Firearms Register, an important national reform the former Labor government signed up to in December 2023.
A centralised, real-time register of all legally owned firearms in Australia will significantly enhance community and police safety. I commend the CLP government for continuing Labor’s commitment to the national register.
I believe there have been concerns raised by licensed shooters in relation to data collection ahead of the register coming online, but I understand, from my briefing provided last week, the police are working on this. My team and I commend them on taking on board and addressing the concerns.
I understand NT Police has taken onboard feedback in relation to improving communication with gun owners. We believe this is a positive step.
What does not appear to be on the cards is strengthening of transparency and accountability when it comes to firearms data. Currently, the only information the community is given about gun the Territory is the number of guns registered. There is a strong case for ensuring a more transparent approach to firearms data to informing the public and ensuring they have confidence in the way our firearms regime is being managed in the Territory.
This is not about giving away people’s personal information. This is about transparency and accountability on an issue of significant community safety.
Currently New South Wales publicly releases monthly data on firearms, including data on permits to acquire firearm dealer transactions, firearm licences and firearms across categories. There is no reason the Northern Territory should not look at a similar transparency measure as part of the work undertaken to get ready for the National Firearms Register.
The minister has had very little to say about the National Firearms Register, so it would be good to hear her address this. Whether it is hearing if the Territory is on track to meet these commitments and deadlines as part of that national reform work.
The Bill seeks to reform the Firearms Advisory Council by introducing an independent chair appointed by the minister, revising the membership structure and enabling direct reporting to the minister. What is not clear is the criteria or skills matrix that will be used to choose the chair or other members appointed by the minister to ensure we get the best possible mix of Territorians with the right experience and expertise to give balanced advice to the government on matters of gun control and safety.
It is incredibly important the government makes the appointments transparently and in the best interest of all Territorians at the centre of the decision making and not just for some.
The Territory Labor team is supportive of the amendments that bring us inline with other jurisdictions in dealing with emergency risks of 3D printing of illegal guns and gun parts. We know there have already been cases of this occurring here in the Territory. This is an important step to help address that risk that simply did not exist a few years ago. This is what contemporary legislation should look like.
This reform highlights a broader issue: what other emerging risks are we not yet addressing?
Without a proactively, strategic review of gun laws we risk constantly playing catch-up and introducing patchwork, piecemeal changes to our Territory laws. This is a small but reasonable change when it comes to ammunition and interstate licence holders. we know interstate licence holders come to the Territory for sporting shooters events and hunting. This is also a good tourism batch.
Historically there was a concern with the interstate licence holders having to bring their own ammunition because it was illegal for them to purchase it the Territory. Our former Labor government acted to address this by placing an amnesty on interstate licence holders allowing them to buy ammunition in the Territory. This was an immediate fix and the former Labor government always intended to enshrine this in legislation.
It is good to see the CLP following on a Labor initiative.
I want to put a final point on record and remind the CLP of its election commitment to strengthen the Northern Territory Trespass Act to deter illegal hunting. This is a significant issue particularly on Aboriginal land and
in our national parks, but we have not heard a single word by the CLP since they have come to government in nearly two years. It is about time the CLP government provided an update on whether it intends to honour its election commitment. I seek the minister’s indulgence to address that in her response.
In conclusion, these are largely sensible changes to our Northern Territory gun laws but, as I have said earlier, this represents routine business of government without any real forward planning for contemporising around gun reform. I look forward to the Chief Minister addressing the following points:
• Whether the government intends to undertake a more comprehensive and consultative review of our gun laws to ensure they are contemporary and meet community expectations
• Whether our current compliance and monitoring regime is proactive and preventive enough when it comes to gun control and community safety
• Whether the government intends to strengthen transparency of firearms data
• How decisions will be made about members of the Firearms Advisory Council
• Whether the government intends to honour its election commitment to strengthen laws on illegal hunting.
Territorians deserve more than incremental changes; they deserve a system that is modern, transparent and built with purpose. Unfortunately, the CLP government has again proven it is incapable of delivering genuine reform that improves the lives of Territorians and involves Territorians in the consultation of those decisions.
Mr MALEY (Agriculture and Fisheries): Madam Speaker, I support the Firearms Bill 2026. This is a practical, sensible and modernising piece of legislation. It improves the integrity of the firearms register, cuts unnecessary red tape and recognises the legitimate role that firearms play in the Territory lifestyle. It is another example of how the Finocchiaro CLP government is getting on with the job of delivering practical reform that balances public safety with common sense.
The Territory is different from other jurisdictions. We have pastoral stations larger than some countries, remote communities, feral animal management challenges, recreational hunting, sporting shooting and businesses that lawfully trade in firearms and related equipment. We also have people who rely on firearms for pest control, primary production and safety when living and working in isolated parts of the Territory. We have families who regularly go hunting or target shooting; it is a family thing here in the Territory. I know people who have had guns passed down from grandfather to father to son or daughter. It is part of our lifestyle, so when we make firearms laws in the Territory, they must be fit for purpose. They must be strong, responsible and reflect the realities of living in the Northern Territory, and that is what this Bill does.
A key reform in this Bill is the implementation of recommendation 5A of the Approvals Fast-Track Taskforce. It extends the period of corporate firearms licences and employee firearms licences for up to 10 years, and that is a sensible change. Full transparency: I have an employee firearms licence, so I will be a beneficiary of this.
Businesses that are already licensed, compliant, subject to oversight and operating responsibly should not be tied up in repetitive administrative processes that add no value. If we can maintain safety standards while reducing bureaucracy, we should do so. This reform makes it easier to do business in the Territory. It gives certainty to Territory firearms dealers, businesses and employees. It reduces unnecessary paperwork and allows police resources to be focused where they are most needed—on compliance, enforcement and risk.
It will also provide that, where a person has lodged an application for the same type of licence before expiry, their licence can remain in force while that application is being considered. This is a practical change because it prevents people who have done the right thing by lodging an application on time and complying with the law from falling into limbo because of administrative processing timeframes. It ensures fairness and common sense while preserving the commissioner’s power to refuse or revoke where appropriate.
I know from speaking with lawful firearm owners and business owners over many years that certainty matters. Delays cost time, money and productivity. Also, some rural people come into town only once or
twice. Whether it is a dealer trying to run a business, a station owner managing feral animals or a sporting shooter participating in competitions, people need a system that works efficiently and fairly. This Bill delivers that.
Importantly, none of the reforms weaken safety or checks, remove licence requirements, undermine police oversight and the same checks and standards remain in place …
Madam SPEAKER: Deputy Chief Minister, please pause. It is now 6 pm and in accordance with the Assembly’s resolution this morning, business is interrupted for the Member for Nightcliff’s maiden speech.
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Selena UiboALP NTLeader of the Opposition
Mentions
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Territory Labor NT
